Uncategorized – Tales of the Memories

Life takes on a new colour

The Wedding Series Part 2

Indian weddings are often perceived to be colourful – bright outfits, magnificent decor, an array of sweets, sparkling jewellery & so on. However, what is often missed is the celebration of two very important events that take the definition of colour to another level. The Mehndi Ceremony & the haldi ceremony are the most indispensable events of an Indian/Goan Hindu wedding.

Day 3: Mehndi Ceremony

*My Mehndi/Henna design was curated by Aishwarya Kane from Mehndi Boutique Goa (Instagram – mehndi_boutique_goa)*

Application of Mehndi/henna is an inevitable part of a Indian wedding. It signifies the holy bond of matrimony & hence the bridal mehndi often incorporates figures of bride, groom & wedding elements in it’s design. It is often believed that darker the stain of the mehndi, deeper is the love between the couple 😉 Henna is known to have antiseptic & cooling properties. Weddings are usually stressful & the application of mehndi allows the bride to relax & calm the stress. My Mehendi ceremony was a sweet mixture of chit-chatting, good food, music & a lot of warmth from my near and dear ones 🙂 I opted for a mehndi design with the bride as well as the groom figure, some wedding elements such as dhol (a musical instrument used in weddings), a mangal kalash (a pot with a coconut & some mango leaves that signifies love and prosperity), a gatbandhan (a holy knot that is tied with the bride & groom’s clothing during the wedding ceremony) and a Lord Ganesha figure (Lord Ganesh is worshipped before all new venture as he is the Lord of new beginnings & is known to remove all obstacles from one’s path). I also incorporated my B-school name in my Mehndi design as first I met my husband in B-school ❤

Day 4 : Haldi Ceremony

*Some glimpses of a day that set the right mood for the wedding festivities!!*

Haldi ceremony is yet another colourful pre-wedding ritual. This ceremony mainly comprises of application of Haldi (turmeric) paste to the bride/groom. Turmeric is a powerful antiseptic & exfoliant. Once applied, it helps enhance the bridal glow and keep infections at bay 🙂 Turmeric is considered extremely auspicious in most Hindu rituals and hence this ritual holds a lot of importance in the wedding celebrations. My Haldi ceremony started with my maternal uncle gifting me the chooda (green glass bangles that signify prosperity) and a silver toe ring. The silver toe ring is worn in the second toe & has acupuncture benefits. The nerve of this toe is known to connect to the uterus & silver has calming properties which leads to good reproductive health. Hence married women in India, adorn the silver toe ring. Following the gifting, we began the puja to seek blessing from the almighty for a blissful life ahead. Once the puja concluded, the most fun part of this ceremony began which was the application of the turmeric paste. The women of my family started the application followed by rest of the family members & my friends. The ritual concluding with a water & rose petal shower 🙂 The Haldi ceremony ended with me seeking blessings from the elders of the family.

My Mehndi and Haldi ceremony were no doubt my most favourite events from the entire wedding celebrations. They truly set the mood for the big day that was to follow.

More about it in the next few posts. Until then, Happy Reading 🙂

The perfect event

The Wedding Series Part 1

It has been a month since my wedding and I am still awe of how perfect the entire event was. Like every bride to be, I had spent endless days planning the whole thing. However, I was told by lot of my friends who had gotten married recently that no matter how much I plan, there would be some things that would always go wrong. But this did not stop me from putting together the most perfect event of my life.

Needless to say that my family worked tirelessly to make this wedding the best one yet and they completely succeeded in doing so. I have been so over-whelmed with the entire process, the hard work, the love & affection that I decided to document & share my entire wedding celebration. While planning the mega event, I did come to learn a lot more about my culture & traditions & in my attempt to share my wedding stories, I’ve also attempted to share a bit about my culture.

Day 1 : Kelvan

The image depicts the traditional seating arrangement made in Goan Hindu households that consists of a wooden seat outlined with Rangoli. Laid across is the Aarti and haldi-kukum which is applied on to the bride as a sign of respect before the feast begins. The traditional way of serving food on a banana leaf finds its way in most rituals. Here an assortment of sweets is served on the banana leaf.

Simply put this is the Marathi version of a bridal shower. A gathering is arranged by the family to celebrate the bride/groom. Special emphasis is given to cook the bride/groom’s favourite food. My mum, maternal aunt & my cousins came together to cook some of my favourite goan delicacies & traditional sweets such as panchkhadya (a dessert made with coconut, jaggery, roasted cashew, cardamom & moong dal), modak etc. Brides are usually stressed with the whole wedding prep & cannot stop worrying about their outfit, make etc etc. The Kelvan ritual is meant for the bride/groom to take a moment for themselves & simply enjoy the time with their families relishing their favourite food.

Day 2: Muhurat/Fula

This event officially kickstarts the wedding rituals. Named differently across Indian cultures, the purpose of the ritual remains the same. Married women from the groom’s family visit the bride’s residence & offer her gifts that may include jewellery, traditional wear, fruits, sweets make up etc. This is the official gifting day following which the bride adorns the gifted items on her wedding day. A ritual known to help the bride familiarize with the members of the groom’s extended family.

The first two events were rather short & sweet. The events that followed had even more pomp & joy to offer. More about the other events in my next post.. Until then, Happy Reading 🙂

Taking more breaks

It has been quite sometime since my last post and I finally felt like it’s the right time to be blogging back again. (this time hoping to be writing & reading more regularly).

Though the last 3 months might have seemed like a long break from blogging, I wasn’t exactly taking a break. So here’s what happened : I was busy prepping for the most important day of my life so far – My Wedding! Yes, I did get married to the love of my life in December & the feeling is still sinking in. A few months before the wedding, I had switched jobs & moved to a new organization. Hence I was pretty much trying to figure out my personal as well as work commitments. Amidst all the beautiful chaos, blogging & reading did take a back seat.

Coming back to the wedding – I had so much fun planning & putting together the whole event. Indian weddings are a one big party & are celebrated for almost a week. Every single ritual of the celebration had been so intricately put together that it made me fall in love with my culture.

With all the wedding hustle bustle, I decided to cut myself some slack in order to take out time to rest & rejuvenate. Though it may seem like I have been taking more breaks, I do not perceive any further barriers to blogging. The sole purpose of this blog was to find myself a creative safe space to put my thoughts & I feel extremely grateful to the blogging community for helping me do this.

Here’s hoping to share much more about the wedding & many more life updates in this space.

Until, then Happy Reading 🙂

After a hiatus..

The last few months have been a time of massive change for me. Both personally and professionally. I managed to make some major life changing decisions over the last 3 months. Even though I’m excited about moving ahead, I do have a little fear in my heart. Fear of change, fear of the unknown but I guess that is how life is suppose to unfold.

One such decision that I made, was to move on from my current organization. I had been associated with Tata Starbucks for over 3 years now and the journey has been nothing less than fulfilling. This decision was partly influenced by a personal event as I decided to relocate from the city of dreams – Mumbai back to my hometown, Goa.

Given these major life changes, I decided to take a break from majority of my hobbies including blogging and took some time out to navigate through crucial life changes. Even though I am back to blogging after 3 months, it feels like nothing has really changed for I have always felt so welcomed by the blogging community. And I cannot wait to write & share so much more about what’s to come next!!

Until then, Happy Reading!! 🙂

Reasons I love Coffee!

Coffee for me has always been the most comforting beverage. There is nothing more relaxing than a a cup of freshly brewed coffee on a busy afternoon. My love affair with coffee strengthened when I joined Tata Starbucks in 2018. I explored this beverage even more – right from the agricultural practices to highlighting the right notes of coffee in a variety of beverages. Apart from being a star beverage in itself, I personally love coffee for many more reasons.

A perfect conversation starter

A cup of coffee is probably one of the best conversation starters. It just keeps the dialogue going between people like no other beverage. Haven’t we all conducted the first meetings at our neighbourhood coffee shops?

Wake up call

Most of us do depend on coffee to wake us up in the morning right? The caffeine kick in the morning offers a different joy 😉

Body scrub

Coffee is known to be a great body scrub. It exfoliates to remove dead skin cells & thus revealing smoother skin. Some of my friends even swear by coffee scrubs as it helps reduce cellulite. I like to make a simple DIY scrub by mixing coffee, gram flour & coconut oil.

Reading with coffee

I usually spend my Saturday afternoons reading & coffee becomes my best companion here. I just find it to be such a relaxing as well as refreshing drink. Also, the caffeine in coffee contributes to alertness which always leads me to read an extra chapter 😉

The smell of coffee

Our olfactory senses are often under appreciated. The sense of smell plays a very important role when it comes to food & beverages. The smell of coffee instantly lifts my mood off. Just like how the smell of a coffee shop makes most of us happy 🙂

These were just some of the reason why I find coffee to be awesome. It isn’t one of the highly traded commodities in the world for nothing, eh?

Until next time, Happy Reading 🙂

Thrillers I enjoyed reading

Books carry an entire different world within them & rightly so, reading has been my escape in these gloomy times. I was an obsessive reader in college. With the changing priorities, reading did take a backseat for me. However, with the pandemic & spending time indoors, I started reading more than I ever did. Having said that, I could never move past the thriller & mystery genre.

Here are a few thrillers that I absolutely enjoyed reading over the last couple of years

Girl with the dragon tattoo by Steig Larsson (The millennium series)

I believe everyone who enjoys reading thrillers & crime must read this book. It is such a striking novel! The story revolves around a journalist who gets hired by an industrialist to investigate a murder. And then enters Salander who assists in this investigation. And boy! Salander is such a complex character. I think she is one of the best characters ever written. The millennium series has become a phenomenon. If you haven’t read this book yet, then go grab it right now!!

Woman in the window by A.J. Finn

I must say that this one starts a little slow but once the story picks pace, it is so difficult to put the book down. The story is about a woman who is agoraphobic. She spends time watching her neighbours through her window & one day witnesses a crime. The revelations made as the story makes progress are shocking. Something that one could not fathom!

Bloodline by Sidney Sheldon

This one is such a classic. I had read this book many years ago & every time I think of this story, it sends chills down my spine. It is such a well written novel & so easy to read. I must say that Sidney Sheldon writes such easy to read novels that make you eager to find out what happens next. The book is centered around a young woman who inherits a family empire. The story is a perfect amalgamation of ambition, betrayal, greed, love & family.

The kind worth killing by Peter Swanson

I think with this novel Peter Swanson has established his presence amongst the ranks of few of the best authors. This is one novel that gets straight to the point & picks up pace with the first chapter itself. A gripping plot that makes the novel extremely difficult to put. It narrates a story about a woman meets a man on a flight & helps him put together a plan to kill his wife.

Tell me your dreams by Sidney Sheldon

This one remains a classic for me. I remember this was the first thriller novel that I had read. I had borrowed it from a friend & finished reading it in one night. It was that good ❤ This isn’t your ordinary thriller. It has such suspenseful & chilling stuff that you will be captivated in an instance. The story is about three different women in different parts of the world. Their stories are so beautifully plotted together that you cannot even imagine. The twists & turns in the story make you feel like you are on an actual roller coaster. I recommend this book to every person who enjoys thrillers for it made me fall in love with crime fiction & thrillers 🙂

Though I make honest attempts at reading non fiction & other genres, thrillers still remain my favourites. Do suggest some of your favourites which I can binge read on. Until the, Happy Reading 🙂

Favourite Superfoods

*Image source azerbaijan_stockers on freepik.com*

A few years ago when I started my journey towards healthy eating, I was constantly on the lookout for foods that were tasty yet packed with nutrients. This ensured I enjoyed the journey & remained consistent. Recently I was intrigued by the term “Superfoods” which are defined as foods claiming to have health benefits due to their exceptional nutritional content. My first thought was that it would be difficult to include these foods in my diet because they could have been rare/tedious to grow. However, to my surprise I found that food items that fall into the “Superfoods” category are the ones commonly found in our household.

So here are some superfoods that I personally enjoy as they offer a great amount of nutrition

Yoghurt

For those who struggle with gut issues, yoghurt seems to be a saviour! Yoghurt is prepared by fermenting milk which makes it a good source of live cultures. It is a probiotic which means that it contains a whole load of good bacteria that fight off the bad bacteria in our gut. It is also a rich source of calcium & milk based protein.

Nuts

When I was a kid, my mum would soak a few nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts etc) overnight in water & feed them to me in the morning. She has been emphasizing on their health benefits ever since but I have come to realise them only recently. Nuts are a rich source of fatty acids & vitamins. Almonds especially are a rich source of Vitamin which contributes to good skin health. I also swear by almond oil for my hair as it promotes hair growth & makes the hair stronger. Roasted nuts with a pinch of salt & spices also make for a great snack 😉

Chia seeds

Since I do not consume a lot of meat, I am perpetually on the quest for natural sources of proteins. I was introduced to chia seeds by one of my friend in B-school. These tiny little seeds are packed with immense nutritional value. A spoon-full of chia seeds contains up to 1.6g of protein! They are also rich in fatty acids & calcium. The anti oxidants present in chia seeds prevent the rancidity reaction of the fatty acids. Chia seeds are loaded with fiber which make them a gut friendly ingredient. They make for great desserts as well. For example, a dessert made by soaking chia seeds in coconut milk along with a few nuts & fruits makes is a guilt-free treat 🙂

Indian Gooseberry (Amla)

Indian Gooseberry or Amla finds it way back to Ayurveda. It has been used since ancient times to treat various ailments. This super fruit is a rich source of Vitamin C & thus helps in boosting immunity. Vitamin C is a vital ingredient to promote good health & prevent a number disorders due to it’s antioxidant nature. Amla also forms a key ingredient in hair care as it is known to fight hair fall.

Turmeric

I guess every Indian household would swear by turmeric. It has anti bacterial, anti inflammatory & antiseptic properties. My mum completing vouches for consuming a teaspoon of turmeric with milk & almond paste to prevent common cold & infections. This also makes for a very comforting yet healthy winter beverage. I think turmeric finds its way into almost every Indian recipe that is cooked at my home. I also like to include in in my face packs as it fights acne & pigmentation.

Coconut

It would not be wrong to say that I love all things coconut 😀 Tender coconut water, coconut pulp, coconut curries, coconut soufflé & so on. Being a Goan, I consume coconut almost every day as it forms the base of most Goan curries. Coconut is such an amazing yet yummy source of good fats. It also contains a good amount of manganese which supports fat metabolism. If it’s nutritional value isn’t enough to appreciate it’s goodness, then we must all appreciate how versatile this ingredient is. You can make cocktails (who doesn’t love a good pina colada eh! ;), use it in salads, make desserts out of it, make curries or just consume it as is.

I am no health expert but I have made an humble attempt to share the superfoods that I love & that work for me. Do let me know about your favourite superfoods. Until then, Happy Reading 🙂

5 heathier choices I have been making every day

I’d be lying if I say that I have always followed the healthiest lifestyle. Through my late teens I have had the most erratic sleep schedule, been addicted to black coffee, spent my vacations on the couch watching television & been on a pizza + fries only diet. Thanks to these choices, my transition to a healthier lifestyle has been tough. I have learnt my lessons the hard way to finally make myself realise the importance of a well balanced lifestyle.

I have always believed that one cannot make a drastic change all of a sudden, rather when one makes small gradual changes the cumulative result is much better. I did not transform my life to “healthy” but I started making healthier choices than what I would normally make. For example choosing a fruit over desserts, choosing to rest at home after a long tiring week rather than going out etc.

Here are some simple healthier choices which I have been making over the last few years that have really helped me develop a well balanced lifestyle

8 hours of sleep

I cannot stress on this enough. I have always been that person who cannot function without a good night’s sleep. However, I have sacrificed on my sleep at times for numerous reasons. But lately I realised how important it is for our mind & body to rejuvenate itself completely before it is ready for another day. Hence, I choose to catch up on my 8 hours of sleep over binge watching Netflix 😀

Breaks at regular intervals

I am a HR professional which means that I have to work on my laptop desk for 9 hours 5 days a week. Sitting in the same position for longer durations leads to a lot of muscle fatigue & loss in concentration. Recently, I read about the Pomodoro Technique which says that you work for 25 minutes, then take a break for 5 minutes, then work for another 25minuts & so on. This way you are at the peak of your productivity. I started following this practice & I am able to concentrate much better on my work. I also indulge in basic stretching during the 5 minute breaks to release any muscle fatigue.

Consuming at least one fruit per day

I have always enjoyed eating fruits so this wasn’t a tough one for me. However, now I make a conscious choice to include at least one fruit (mostly seasonal fruits) in my diet every single day.

Cleansing my face before going to bed

Almost all the girls I know have gone to bed without removing their make up at least once in their lives. And I am no different. I have been guilty of not cleansing my face before I call it a night & it has had so many repercussions. Again learnt my lesson the hard way & now I choose to remove all of my make as well as cleanse my face before I hit the bed every night no matter how tired I am.

Meditation

Meditation has been the real game changer for me. I started meditating regularly a few years back & now when I look back I can proudly say that I have evolved as a better person. Meditation helps me combat anxiety, be more optimistic & brood less. I usually meditate before going to bed which helps me calm down & sleep better. Hence I always ensure to take out at least 30 minutes every day to meditate

It is still early days on my path towards a healthier lifestyle & I do have a lot of ground to cover. Hoping to continue to make these choices & develop even healthier habits. Do let me know about the healthier choices that you make. Until then, Happy Reading 🙂

Positivity during the pandemic

It has been over a year since the COVID -19 outbreak was declared a pandemic. And it truly breaks my heart to see the destruction it has caused to civilizations all over the world. Here in India, we are dealing with the second wave & to call it disastrous would be an under-statement. Though the authorities are doing their bit while ramping up the vaccination process, this whole situation has left me gloomy.

I have been trying day in & day out to not let the situation affect me. So I thought I would share some practices have been helping me stay positive amidst the negativity around.

Being with my loved ones

When the second wave hit, I was living alone in Mumbai & trust me I was extremely scared. I decided to fly back home to Goa as this would give my family & I some comfort. And it has actually helped. I do not feel scared anymore as I am around my family & friends.

Staying away from the news

We have this weird habit of tracking the daily updates on the pandemic & that happens to affect us subconsciously. Reducing the consumption of news has honestly helped me focus on the positives rather than the negativity associated with this pandemic.

Not letting my guard down

It is so important for us to realize now that as responsible citizens we have to do our bit in preventing the spread of the virus. Stepping out only when necessary, wearing a mask at all times, washing my hands frequently, sanitizing my hands when I am outdoors & limiting my exposure to all external things makes me feel protected.

Keeping up with my immunity

I have to say this that I am not the healthiest person in the room & hence I have to make extra efforts to defend myself against the virus. The simplest thing that we can do here is consume only warm water. Apart from this my mom makes a simple ayurvedic drink which is know to fight cough, cold & build immunity. This drink can simply be made by boiling some peppercorns, turmeric, fennel seeds, ginger, cumin seeds, cinnamon & lemon grass in water. You may also add honey/jaggery as a sweetener. This drink has been an age old favorite in my household as it not only helps with immunity but also helps with other digestive concerns.

Living in the present

Easier said than done! Like many others, I too have a tendency to over think what the future holds & this second wave of the pandemic has been fostering my habit of over thinking. I have seen some of my closest folks affected by the pandemic which has been extremely disheartening for me. Having said that I am making a conscious effort to not think about what is there to come & rather be grateful for what I have. I have been practicing simplest forms of gratitude – being grateful for being with family, grateful for the roof above my head, grateful for the fresh air to breath & simple grateful for all the good things in life. This has actually made me focus on my present & not think about the future.

These were some of the things that have been adding to my optimism. Do let me know what makes you remain positive during the pandemic. Until then, Happy reading 🙂

Staying Productive

Recently I came across an Instagram post by one of my favorite influencers – Masoom Minawala Mehta wherein she spoke about “Hyper Productivity Pockets” (HPPs). HPPs are time periods wherein one is most productive & get can finish double the amount of work than usual. This got me to think about my productivity pockets & how I identified them.

To be very honest, I am not a very active person & hence I feel extremely lazy to finish off tasks. Sometimes I procrastinate things way too much 😀 However, I began to realize that I can finish most amount of work early in the morning. Yes, it’s true that I am a morning person & can barely stay awake after 10PM. I was always that kid who would wake up early in the morning to study rather than staying awake late it in the night. I like my mornings to be peaceful & probably that is the reason that I am a morning person. Not sure if it makes any sense lol, but I prefer finishing most of the work as soon as I wake up as this time is free from distractions & my mind is fresh after a good night’s sleep. As a child, my father always emphasized on the importance of sleep. He would never allow us to sleep for less than 8-9 hours. He believes that our mind & body need enough rest after a day’s hard work which I feel is so true.

Being extra productive in the morning also means that my energy levels start to deplete towards the end of the day. Hence my productivity levels also start falling by evening. Therefore, I like to term my mornings as one of my Hyper Productivity Pockets.

Another time when I feel my productivity is at peak is soon after a power nap. The 1-2 hour period just after an afternoon nap is the time when I can finish work that would otherwise take up 6-7 hours. I also feel extra productive in airport lounges. No wonder I am writing this blog from one of the airport lounges. I believe lounges offer a different kind of solace. Things are quiet, people mind their own business & you can go on with your work peacefully. I guess external factors also influence my productivity greatly.

To sum it up, I feel most productive when my environment is free of distractions. Hence I also look for that time pocket wherein I am free of all sorts of distractions – be it noise, technology or people itself! And this pocket for me mostly is early in the morning. I try to take about a 45min time slot every morning for myself when I can finish off most of my work & also plan for the day. Having said that, I am always on the look out for more productivity pockets throughout the day to help me increase or maintain my productivity levels.

What are some of your productivity pockets ? Do let me know. Until then, Happy Reading 🙂