Girly things, what are they ?

Coffee and conversations just blend in together and when you are having coffee with your friends there is no dearth of either one.

Over the weekend I had coffee with friends and we sat for ages talking about myriad topics under the sky. We were generally discussing vacationing and the topic of how girls have their girly traits and are not ideal partners for vacation and a guys trip is more fun at any given time came up. I think most of us have this notion and many other notions on girly things or what girls do. 

My guy friends mentioned about how girls are not that spontaneous and take eons to get ready and till that time the time to do something has passed. 

They also said that how girls are more needy and demanding. They are picky and do not adjust. They complain and are dramatic. 

I begged to differ big time. 

I think these qualities and attributes are not particular for any one gender, they are mixed human qualities. They ain't necessarily girly attributes. 

This stuff is basically more stereotyped by society. We grew up in a world where girls and boys were and in many places are still being brought up with values which in future make for their attributes. It's the society that drills these attributes and then it's the society that again tags them on to any one gender. 

Example- it's girly to cry, girls were/are told to sit/stand/behave in respecting ways, take more time to be presentable and well groomed at all times, being perfect, being delicate, always listening to others, respecting others more, asking for your needs. Where as boys are the decision makers, the tough ones, indestructive, breadwinners, never to cry and so on. 

I am sure you got my drift by now. 

I am sure we won't raise our children this way in today's time.

But all this was imposed and then tagged on as being any one kind of traits related to that gender. We were taught these things. However in today's world where there is so much of knowledge, so much of exposure, so much independence, do these things hold true? Do these tags and brackets justifying our personalities and gender hold true? 

I see men crying, being sensitive, caring, understanding, so is this a man being girly? 

I know guys who bitch and gossip more than girls, so is that not normal for them? 

Couples earn equally, I know some who earn less than their wife, so is that a big deal? 

Men today give importance to their appearance, take time to get ready and are well groomed at par with women and sometimes even better than them. Is that girly? 

Women are earning, independent. Can go on solo trips and are actually loving the idea. They are chilled out. I know so many women, who are just spontaneous and wild. I, myself love to live in the moment. So all these traits ain't girly, so these women are boyish, are they? Women are the most adjusting creatures I have ever seen, put them anywhere and they will survive. 

It is so wrong to characterise a person based on his gender. Everyone has different traits and qualities those which are unique to that person and that doesn't necessarily make it girly or not. 

It depends on the nature of a person whether that person is picky, demanding, complaining, taking more time to get ready infact today's woman doesn't have the gift of time in her hand as she is always multitasking and gets ready in a jiffy, again this doesn't go for all and neither does taking eons to get ready goes for all. Basically we can't keep everyone in the same bracket. One doesn't fit for all and all don't fit in one. 

Girls today are going on bike trails from one state to another and even beyond. They are mountaineers, they love offbeat trips. They are boho travellers. They love to explore and are pretty good at it. 

One can't say that all guy trips are more fun and girls spoil them. 

I don't deny that every person has different definition of fun. 

But one secret which isn't a secret is 

GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN!! 

ending on a light note. 

Outfit details 

Top - courtesy limeroad 

Denims- Levi's 

Accessories- Pink pvssy 

Glares - Forever 21 

Shoes- Catwalk 

Bag - Lifestyle 

Cheers and sunshine to all. 

Until next time. 

xoxo

Bhakti 

Seasonal Love

Call me confused, can't stick to one thing or can't chose or can't make decision, yet I still will stick to my opinion - I love all Seasons.

In my defense can you compare between two Gods, then how can you compare and to top it all chose one season. Seasons are the most perfect and beautiful things to keep the earth going, without them it would have been one monotonous ride. 

Every season is so beautiful and gets with it the beauty and wonderful things it had to offer. 

I love rainy seasons reason being I think it's so romantic, walking under one umbrella. It's fun splashing puddles, playing in the rain. Oh the beauty of the earth in rains. It's like rainy season is thd bathing season for the earth. Hot pakoras and chai. The fragrance of the wet soil. What's their not to love. Everything is in full life and fragranced. 

Winters bring along with them the cool, breezy and windy nights. Snow I many countries. Beautiful weather, hot soups. Movies cuddled in blankets. Comfort food ladled with cheese. The earth in winters looks at it's best. 

Summer season - the season for vacations, for a dip in the pool. The season for mangoes, watermelons and juices and fresh fruits. A season to relax and take a break. The earth dressed in golden hay and trees all shedding away the years tiredness and waiting to dance in the rain back to life is a miracle. Summer I feel is the month to shed away all inhibitions, eat well, be active, travel and just enjoy. 

How can you compare any one now, the beauty of these seasons is what makes the earth and hence life so miraculous and happening. 

How can you deny me my seasonal love for each one of them. Can you blame me for not chosing one? I think not 😜

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of each.” —Henry David Thoreau ❤️❤️






xoxo
Bhakti

A Buterfly - Yes, Indeed

We keep cribbing over everything, over a puddle of water which is splashed on us, over a flat tire, over all the insignificant event and struggles small or big in day to day life. We keep cursing and trying to blame it on one thing or the other. We even keep blaming God for the minutest of things which are not according to us.
But at the end of the day aren't these things right from childhood, what really shapes us. Struggles and obstacles in life make us strong and the person we are. Life is about achieving one goal after the other no matter how small or big, isn't it ? That's why Life is so beautiful because we have to struggle to make it beautiful. There is no importance of a thing which is not achieved by some struggle or aim, neither is the life without goals enjoyable. Victories over these struggles make us strong and define us as a person.
I personally can't live a boring Life without any challenges or aim and goals to complete in any form. I actually see myself stronger and value myself better when I do things on my own and fight my own battles. Its not that I don't like to take help, just that I enjoy being independent and doing things by myself. I strongly believe in my own work and working for myself. Not that I like others working for me or helping me, its just that I like my work better, or me working better. Now what does this say about myself, I wonder ? ( am I a control freak, or a hedonist, just fiercely independent.. ??) ;p
I came across this beautiful story and just wanted to share it with you all.
Hope you enjoy it.

When he was a small boy, he had loved butterflies. Oh, not to net and mount them, but to wonder at their designs and habits.

Now a grown man with his first son to be born in a few weeks, he found himself once again fascinated with a cocoon. He had found it at the side of the park path. Somehow the twig had been knocked from the tree and the cocoon had survived undamaged and still woven to the branch.

As he had seen his mother do, he gently protected it by wrapping it in his handkerchief and carried it home. The cocoon found a temporary home in a wide-top mason jar with holes in the lid. The jar was placed on the mantle for easy viewing and protection from their curious cat who would delight in volleying the sticky silk between her paws.

The man watched. His wife's interest lasted only a moment, but he studied the silky envelope. Almost imperceptibly at first, the cocoon moved. He watched more closely and soon the cocoon was trembling with activity. Nothing else happened. The cocoon remained tightly glued to the twig and there was no sign of wings.

Finally the shaking became so intense, the man thought the butterfly would die from the struggle. He removed the lid on the jar, took a sharp pen knife from his desk drawer, and carefully made a tiny slit in the side of the cocoon. Almost immediately, one wing appeared and then outstretched the other. The butterfly was free!

It seemed to enjoy its freedom and walked along the edge of the mason jar and along the edge of the mantle. But it didn't fly. At first the man thought the wings needed time to dry, but time passed and still the butterfly did not take off.

The man was worried and called up his neighbor who taught high school science. He told the neighbor how he had found the cocoon, placed it in the mason jar, and the terrible trembling as the butterfly struggled to get out. When he described how he had carefully made a small slit in the cocoon, the teacher stopped him. "Oh, that is the reason. You see, the struggle is what gives the butterfly the strength to fly."

And so it is with us. Sometimes it's the struggles in life that strengthen us the most.

Author Unknown

 

 

Yes I am a Butterfly, fighting my battles, fiercely independent and flying freely all over.

 

xoxo

Bhakti

Pastime or Dream time

I love to indulge in my pastimes and complete my day.

Its so much pleasure coupled with relaxation and joy. I believe everyone must give in to their pastime/ hobbies and enjoy life to the fullest.

I have loads of pastimes being reading, writing, listening to music, drawing and the list just goes on....

 However my favorite pastime is more like a dreamtime.

Honestly, wait till you hear it out, you will completely agree with me.

I just love to fill my spare and not so spare time, planning vacations.

I love to go through new places and do in detail research on them, find out their itineraries, good places to eat, great shopping, good hotels and homestays, faraway places. I watch loads of videos of the same and start planning innumerable trips wherever my heart feels like.

Its like I visualize myself in that location, doing things, enjoying the food, shopping to the fullest.

Its my dream time and my dream world.

Its how I make all my dreams come true and all my travels a super hit.

I love dreaming and then working towards realizing these dreams.

being in my dream world is what I love the most and I cant have it any other way.

 

as they rightly say

 

All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.- T.E.Lawrence

 

This is what I wore for a casual cuppa the other day.

 

 

Neckpiece- Pink Pvssy

Sandals- Carlton London

Top- Splash

Denims- levis

Bag- Esbeda

 

All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.

T. E. Lawrence

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/telawren130039.html#1f3LtsjmvSvzs97l.99

All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.

T. E. Lawrence

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_dreams.html#R2FSyBbxaOvdEqsZ.99

All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.

T. E. Lawrence

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_dreams.html#R2FSyBbxaOvdEqsZ.99

So now you know my favorite pastime. ;p

 

What is yours?

xoxo
Bhakti

 

Nature with its magical Inspirations #naturesfriends

Nature can weave you in its magical web and inspire you to do the unknown beyond your dreams.

One such story I would love to share with you, so innocent yet so powerful. Nature does wonders we still fail to comprehend to the fullest.

On a hot summer afternoon in Pune, a little girl of 6 yrs of age was playing on the terrace of her home. While playing with her doll, she decided to bathe her and went to one of the small olden drum filled with water in order to water plants. Standing on her little toes and peeping inside the drum to take some water, she saw a black thing in it. Scared to her wits, she let out a little scream and ran back some steps. Curiosity got her back tip toeing to the drum and peeping inside with one eye shut and legs ready to sprint again. What she saw didn't scare her, but melted her heart, a black crow, had fallen in the drum and was trying hard to stay alive. A feeling to help him overtook the fear, she was not that brave to touch him and pull him out.
God alone knows where she got the idea from but the little girl took the small bucket meant for watering plants and dunked it in the drum until she scooped the crow in it, she further emptied the bucket on the floor in a shaded area and out of fear of the creature ran for her life. She did come to the terrace in the evening, however the crow wasn't there. She felt sad on not seeing the bird but was also glad that it flew away which meant that he was alive.
When she descended the staircase she realized there was a crow sitting on the brim, too close for any other crow she had seen. She mustered courage and went near it, the bird stood its ground and didn't fly off. A child's impulse, she stroked the head of the crow and it still sat there. She ran off to tell her mother about her victory, she never ever saw that crow again.
What she didn't know was that incidence had changed her beyond her thinking.
She started loving nature unknowingly, started looking after small insects, giving small grains of sugar to the ants, watching the vibrant colors of the lady birds. She wanted to save nature to safeguard animals, the feeling that she had got after saving the crow and petting it on his head was unparalleled. It made her friends with nature and its creations, the urge to safeguard them, to play amongst them was magical.
after her mother told her that the crow must have fallen in the drum trying to drink water, she
started keeping water for birds in a shallow vessel on the terrace for them to drink and she followed this for years and I still follow this. Yes that little girl was me and that crow was and still is my inspiration why and how I became friends with nature. I still water and grow plants in the hope of saving lives related to it directly, indirectly. I still get really heartbroken when on highways I see mountains being broken up to make way for buildings. I Dance with joy and am happiest with nature, gurgling streams, chirping birds, creations of nature.
That afternoon a crow changed me, helped me understand true love for nature and its magnificent creations. Lesson I learned then but understood now. Inspired by the crow then but understood now.
But isn't it that lessons learned in childhood are learned forever, they get etched in the heart.
Every child should be taught to befriend nature, to love it and safeguard it. Its the need of the hour.
Importance and magic of Nature in its truest form.

 

 

p.s This post is written for Kissan  #naturesfriends contest http://www.kissan.in/

xoxo
Bhakti

Lessons from Noah's Ark... with a Pink tadka..

I was just going through Noah's Ark story and came across a very unique interpretation of the things we learn from it. I was really fascinated and decided to share it with you guys, of course with my interpretations too ;p

Lessons from Noah's Ark...

My interpretation and take on the lessons in brackets.
One: Don't miss the boat. (obviously all other means of transport too ;p, Respect time.. )
Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat. (equality matters, don't underestimate anybody.)
Three: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark. (do plan ahead, but don't live in the future)
Four: Stay fit - When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big. (someone might ask you to do anything big anytime)
Five: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done. (listen to the critics and just polish your act but don't let everything bother you.)
Six: Build your future on high ground. (aim for the moon, you will land in stars, aim for the stars and you will land on the ground)
Seven: For safety  sake, travel in pairs. (no wonder God made us in pairs.)
Eight: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs. (Don't underestimate anybody, Speed differs for everyone)
Nine: When you're stressed, float a while. (Rejuvenate, Relax, Refresh- 3R's)
Ten: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals. (Passion is the real mission, just love what you do, its all that matters.)
Eleven: No matter the storm, there's always a rainbow waiting. (if there is no storm, what's the value of a rainbow)
Twelve: You may want to leave the woodpeckers off of the ark. (stay away from unwanted elements in any form)
 

 

 

Wasn't that good ?

 

and now Outfit of the day-- there's still a little chill in the air-- so here goes --

 

This is what I wore for a brunch with friends over a casual professional meet.

 I swear by tees with jackets in winters, so comfortable, chic and warm. :)

 

 

 

I love this Tee and I Love Quirky prints.

 

Jacket - Max

Quirky tee- Fashion street

Denims- Benetton

Wedges- inc5

Bag- Bangkok- Platinum mall

Watch- Fast track

Ring - Pink pvssy

Neck piece- Vero Moda.

 

xoxo

Bhakti

 

A mane story

A screaming toddler being taken to the barbers shop to trim her hair again, short really short, after a while the screams give way to silent sobs and sighs. Till then the barber has worked his hands over the hair which now resembles a freshly mowed lawn. The sequence goes on for years and now the girl who is no more a toddler is habituated to the short hair and the easy maintenance of them(perks of short hair). Time passes the girl enters her teens and all conscious of her appearance now, takes the ever longing task of the once toddler In her hands and thus begins the relationship with my hair.

Yes I grew my hair in my teens till then all my life I had a smart boy cut. Smart though it was it can never match the charm of long hair. And this is how I was the proud owner of long tresses of dark brown hair. I played with them unconsciously when I was joyous, rolled them in my fingers in my pensive thoughts, hid beneath it when wanted to escape questions. It was then I realized how I loved my long silky soft mane. They were my best friend. I tried then to recharge it regularly to keep it as beautiful as ever and this marked my introduction to the charming Sunsilk products and thus started the process of recharging my hair to make it healthy, nourish it and make it grow longer .

This relationship with my hair thus continued, when I met a boy once on entering a class and swished my hair behind with one movement of my head. Then I knew, after that the boy never stopped looking at me or my hair. We became friends and I still remember that he played with my hair once and I swished my hair back again in that same movement, and scolded him don't touch my hair. Years have passed and I still let him play with my hair sometimes swishing and scolding him, as he is my beloved husband now and exchanging naughty loving smiles.
I remember him telling me once that since childhood he wanted a partner who had beautiful long hair, and here he fell in love with me and my hair. hehe  I still hide behind my hair when I have done something naughty, I still curl my hair with my fingers when I am thinking.
I love to feel the wind in my open hair when I ride my bike, my most memorable moments with my hubby on our bike rides with the lovely cool wind in my hair.
We love travelling, me and my hubby and I love to get picture perfect snaps with my hair open
I always keep my hair open, I color it, I make it go under so much treatment, I literally torture it from every thing I do still it never complains and remains the same as gorgeous as it ever was.  I love it by recharging it with the best possible care.

I need to recharge my hair with all the care I can get to keep recharging my husbands love for my hair as well as mine. It's my best friend and best friends deserve the very best. Guess in order to recharge me and my life and everything I love in it, I will always recharge them for the rest of my life. I will recharge them to be who I am, to continue being so.
Had it not been for Sunsilk recharge my life wouldn't be the same at all, would it? Thanks Sunsilk for recharging my hair and my life. I owe you big time:)


My Many Mane Moods -- ;p

and thus the mane story continues ......


xoxo
Bhakti

This post is written for Sunsilk contest on Indiblogger.

Clueless

One question keeps haunting me from time to time- What is my Purpose in Life? This question leads to a series of thoughts and a thread of questions which leave me confused and clueless every single time.What am I born for? What is the reason I am in this world?

According to me there is a purpose for every bodies birth. A destiny to fulfill. A contribution to make to the world. The meaning for existence. I am not talking of a job or a degree, what I mean are the deeper things in life. Things that matter. Things by which we will be remembered, even when we are not there. Things that give us sheer happiness and satisfaction. They are not measured by how big or small they are. What matters that they are big in our life.

Realization hits many a times that the best things in Life are right in front of us, but I need to find identify it myself, don't I ?My search is still going on. I still am finding my purpose of being. I am still stumbling along the path of my personal enlightenment. I am still Clueless.

I came across this website the other day that said in order to know the purpose of your life, just write this question - What is the purpose of my life? and then start writing your answers with an open heart until you stumble upon an answer which really makes you cry. This just made me wonder after countless sleepless nights and amazing number of hours pondering over this question, I still haven't got an answer. So is this that easy, will this provide me with an answer. Guess, I will have to try it out to find it myself.

Does this happen to you ? Have you got your purpose of being ? Are you as clueless as me ?

Please do share your views with me.

And now for the ootd.

Top - Gift from sister

Denims- Levis

Bag - Dubai Market

Shoes- Dubai market

Neckpiece - Splash

xoxo

Bhakti

Mogra

This post is written for Smelly to Smiley Ambi Pur contest (Indiblogger).www.facebook.com/AmbiPurIndia

We often take little things for granted. Fail to observe the trivial things. But they are stored deep down somewhere. Every corner in the house we have been living and spending all our time is filled with memories. It is also filled with innumerable smells, and every smell or fragrance has a memory attached to it, some moments which are special or not so special; but yet which have a deep place in our heart. Some fragrances which unknowingly rekindle memories long forgotten.Smell and memory go hand in hand, they are stored together in the brain.
Consciously or sub consciously every smell or fragrance has some thing to say, some significant memory.
Today evening when I lit an incense stick which spread the aroma of Mogra flowers (Jasmine) everywhere in my home, I sat back relaxed and felt good instantly. I love this feeling. At the same instance the door bell rang, as if to disturb me from my serene state. Unwillingly I got up to open the door and see who was this intruder. It was one of my close friend and as soon as she came in and got a whiff of Mogra, she commented that I am obsessed with Mogra and should be a brand ambassador of it.
Well to tell the truth - My entire house smells of Mogra. You will find whiffs of Mogra incense in almost all my perfumes.
Almost all my air fresheners and fragrances have notes of Mogra.
"Why this attraction to Mogra?" she prodded me further.
Instead of answering her question I was lost in my memories. I was lost in my childhood. I was engulfed in a happy protected cocoon. For me Mogra means home, the eternal love, my parents, my childhood home, a treasure trove of memories.
I was introduced to this fragrance quite early in life, they say a baby can smell since the time he/she is in his/her mother's womb. So I guess that's how I was introduced.
Born and brought up in a Maharashtrian family where garlands made of Mogra adorn the hair of the ladies. They are the symbol of love.
My father on his way back home after work every evening used to get Garland of Mogra for my mother without fail. This was a ritual. The ritual of their love for each other. He giving it to her and she very lovingly sporting it on her hair with pride. Their love made everything so loving around them. The whole family chatted over cups of chai(tea) and pakodas(snacks), played games or went out for a stroll with the fragrance of Mogra lingering all around us. The fragrance of Mogra mixed with spices of the kitchen is what my mother smells like even today. For me this is the best fragrance ever in my life, the Fragrance of my mother, the fragrance of my childhood, of my parent's eternal love, of their presence, a happy childhood, comfort, peace, life, love. Even today my father gets Mogra garland for my mother and the ritual continues the difference is that I am not physically part of that childhood magic. I try to recreate that magic, their eternal love, their presence now at my own home with the Mogra smell and get lost in my own tranquil oasis of beautiful memories and also take inspiration to carve some of my own such memories along the way.
As if to shake me from my thoughts my friend asked me again " are you even here?"

I answered her as if answering my own question- Yes I am. and you are right I am obsessed, deeply in love and completely addicted to Mogra(with a wink and a smile). She was left as confused as ever.

xoxo

Bhakti

The Rain - Rhapsody

I love Rains, yet another wave of feelings which engulfs me every time I enjoy the rain.Trying to pen down the same ---

Pitter patter of raindrops I hear,

a music to my ears.

A nice fat book, a cup of hot coffee and a comfortable blanky to snuggle in,

and hide away from all the din.

The fresh green trees all around,

make me forget all the concrete mounds.

The smell of wet earth,

makes me coo like the Koyal that - yes I  belong to this hearth.

Looking at the rain,

everything else appears but vain.

The parch barren land of summer,

transforms to a fertile sublime green oasis with the speed of a bummer.

Thus Life is transformed

and adorned.

Natures melody - The Rain - Rhapsody,

inspires me to be ready.

Bhakti

Something to match the mood of the poem ..

top - lifestyle

black cardigan  -splash

bag- nike

shoes- bata rainwear

scarf- Dubai

xoxo

Bhakti