Raahgiri Day- A Getaway to Health & Fitness

November 16 could be a lovely morning, a lazy morning but no it had to be a much better- a refreshing morning. Oo-Haa-Lo friends, a very good morning! This is Shikha Singh aka Chikki, sharing my experience of November 16 live from my bed. ROBL (Rolling On the Bed Laughing)

Be it a long trip or a short excursion or a casual hangout, travelling, anywhere, is always more than a journey for me. Exploring new places, meeting people and walking through the woods, my wanderlust is gradually awarding me with such profound lifetime experiences. A true blessing in camouflage indeed! And yet again, on November 16, the Almighty tossed me in a peculiar situation, adding to my list of mixed experiences.

Well November 16 was a very normal Sunday. I, completely lost in my dreamland, was enjoying the warmth of my blanket very much like others. Zzzzz Zzzzz.. Sharp 5, my phone started ringing with excited friends calling me for some affair called “Raahgiri Day” in Connaught Place. I hardly knew anything about “Raahgiri Day” and after my inquest, all I got to know was that it’s some fitness or exercise do. However, what I understood, was exactly different from what it really was. Understanding anything appropriately at 5 in the morning tends to be a tough task for anyone.

Anyhow considering it an early morning hangout, I dragged myself out of the bed. Let me be clear that I was forlorn with this sacrifice of my beloved sleep. Huh!! In no time, I got ready and left home for supposedly, the next big thing. Ok! Finally my friends and I got together at Connaught Place. And what I witnessed there was a huge mob coming especially to attend this event. My eyes were wide and open. I couldn’t believe that people could be this interested in “Raahgiri Day”. Gosh!! Amidst all the atrocious crimes occurring in our capital, the fact remains that life goes on. Despite the fact that news channels are inundated with such horrendous incidents, people hardly let these episodes to play a spoiler. Bitter but true!

Now sans breaking the surge of my blog, let me elucidate what was next and what was “Raahgiri Day” all about. While walking through the streets, I could see people connecting with their community, reclaiming their streets and celebrating the joys of their city. Streets were being used for recreational activities to encourage health, fitness, togetherness and happiness. People were too excited participating in activities like cycling, walking, running, skating, playing etc. Stages were setup in order to instruct for zumba, aerobics and yoga and more. Some people were happily singing songs on the streets and some were happily trying to match their steps on the tunes of loud music. Yeahh yay!! Here how could I overlook kids. They too were so enthusiastic, enjoying sports, playing games, doing activities like painting, skating, running, jogging, wall climbing, cycling and what not! One thing I would like to mention here is that nothing can beat the spirit of Delhi people. They are always up for anything to everything even if they really are not physically comfortable in that. Salute to We Delhi People’s Spirit!

Whether it was cycling or wall painting, I too tried my hands on many things. In this arena of joy and festivity, how could I not observe the less privileged people. For them, any occasion is a good source to make some money. In this hustle-bustle, I also met the real "Swachata Abhiyan" hero named Rajkumar who was least interested in this bird called "Raahgiri" and was dedicatedly busy in his road cleaning task. When others were taking oath to clean their Delhi by being a part of "Swachata Abhiyan", Rajkumar was preoccupied in his daily jobs. Actions speak louder than words. Indeed…

On the one hand, people were trying their hard to get fit into their skimpier clothes preparing for exercise and on the other hand, there were people who were enjoying delicacies in the nearby open food joints. From festival to any occasion, we Indians celebrate it with food and that really shows our enduring love affair with food. I too had butterscotch shake and spring rolls from Keventers. Psshh..

From the "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" episode to sitting on the road in groups, from wall painting with hands to holding “Raahgiri Day” balloons and inspiring quotes, from dancing on the tunes of aerobics’ jazzy music to cycling on traffic-less roads, I liked and enjoyed it all. I found the slogan “Apni Raahen Apni Azaadi” superb. Ohh I also overheard that Actor Hrithik Roshan came for a few minutes for some shoot here. Though I was unable to verify anything like this. Finally, I was feeling happy, gay and alive. Literally I thanked myself for providing my soul this refreshing experience. After all I deliberately ignored my friends and though a hard choice between a cozy winter morning sleep and a fitness event, i did sacrifice my sweet slumber to finally know "Raahgiri" was worth it and way more fun!

After coming back to home, I googled about Times of India’s “Raahgiri Day”. And I got to know these things about it.

Started in Gurgaon on November 17, 2013, “Raahgiri Day” is India’s first sustained car-free citizen program. It is a weekly street event with an objective to offer its people an opportunity to connect with their society, reclaim their streets and as a result reclaim their lives and happiness. Streets are being used for a wide range of recreational activities to promote healthy living by encouraging an active lifestyle. The event takes place on all Sundays.

From the word “Raahgiri”, it gets obvious that the event is about taking charge of your own way, journey and life. Allegedly this concept is inspired by “Ciclovia” held weekly in Bagota, Columbia and now popular all over the world known by many different names. By whatever name or term we describe this event; one thing is sure that its mystic appeal has an amazing sense of curiosity and an ability to connect with people, children and youth. So guys come out from your comfort zone, push your limits a little more and be a part of this event. :)

From Neemrana to Nirvana

Gone are the days when we used to think that “food, cloth and shelter” were the only things for a good living. “All we need is love” is a lie too. Sadly it’s true… High time to dump these age old ways of thinking, that’s passé guys. Be happy, proactive and alive by adding a bit of shopping, good food, recreational activities, gadgets and hang outs to your life. Trust me, a dab of love; food and travelling always works the best. With these things there is a sense of satisfaction assured. Especially with travel (my favourite). Wink! 

"Travelling is my drug of choice„ "One day I’ll travel the whole world". Hahaha.. I so use such quotes while posting/changing my pictures on Facebook and Whatsapp. Seriously, no matter how low I feel at a particular hour of a day, but when it comes to gratify my lust for travel and adventure, I’m always game for it. Let me confess I’m too sporadic with anything and everything barring my roaming streak. I swear my phone costs me more for my roaming charges. Lol.

Okay… Absolutely coming back to the point. Well much to your surprise, I was suffering from low esteem issues that I couldn't do Flying Fox zipping unlike few of my friends. Urgh!! And I was trying so hard to make this program possible since ages but all my efforts got wasted. Then I decided to keep these efforts at bay. But few days back, I got this chance to visit Neemrana and experience the eagerly awaited zip tour thanks to a friend’s birthday. Yay yay!!

Friends, you won’t believe but this plan was a perfectly unplanned one. In the midst of our birthday celebration discussion, as always, I suggested trying something different and that was this zipping idea. Ting! All got convinced in no time and I made my hay while sun was shining. Grin… Being a Delhiite, it was just a matter of 2-2.5 hours road travel to reach Neemrana Fort Palace and to enjoy this zip tour positioned on an outcrop of the Aravalli hill range. For me, it was an ecstatic escape from the mundane work, the capital and its noise for a day. This excursion cum adventure mind-bogglingly fed my hungry travel & adventurous buds.

Before starting this herculean task, what was keeping me mentally occupied apart from enthusiasm was my apprehension. With butterflies in my stomach, I was taking zip training with safety briefing. All mixed emotions were then my food for thought. Needless to say, some hiking was also involved with this exhilarating adventure.

Believe me; once I started zipping there was no room left for fear. With each passing zip wire, there was only an awesome, fearless and safe experience behind. This tour of five zip wires took me high over the Aravalli Mountains of Rajasthan with superlative views of 15th Century Neemrana Fort Palace. With a smile on my face, I shouted “ta da” as I finished this thrilling aerial tour. Yippie finally I did it!!

Well, combined with a mind-blowing location, striking views and International safety standards, this aerial adventure really was overwhelming. So, in short yes, the experience was beautiful. With a group of 12 people, this tour took approximately 2 hours. The trainers and staff of Flying Fox were exceptionally good.

With this zip wire adventure, Neemrana Fort Palace had also some more thrilling activities, amazing views and delectable food to offer. Sans forgetting, let me tell you that except zipping, I enjoyed the amazing view of Rajasthan sunset too from the terrace of the fort palace with a cup of tea. And that was the time which actually motivated me to share my experience with all of you through this blog.

So friends, I think if you stay in Delhi or around Delhi and are looking for an adventurous day out of the city, then Flying Fox Neemrana is an apt destination for you. Now don’t listen to what i say, just go, see and create your own experience. Go go, give wings to your coming weekend. Ciao...

Splendid People in the Delhi Metro

For Delhiites, metro indeed is a comfortable and efficient mode of public transport but for commuters like me, who spend almost three hours to and fro from work, it’s the biggest travel one has done so far. No doubt, the transport offers you a convenient and fast ride cutting the traffic-choked city but nowadays it has become a fun-filled ride for people who maintain to adorn a beautiful smile on their face after a long tiring day at work.

Taking you for a voyage, to savor every bit of Delhi and NCR for that matter, metro turns out to be a jading ride for those who have to travel long. Devoting so much time to the metro and observing people around, I have managed to discover some of the categories these commuters fall into.

Me First - One can witness a glut of people who are so full of themselves, not only do they want to be the first one to enter the metro but the first ones to exit as well. Out of all the vacant space near the aisle, they choose best to stand right in front of the doors. These travelers, without paying any heed to the constant announcements made during the journey, almost manage to block people who want to board and de-board the train.

Corner Crackers - Even before the doors get opened for people to enter, their target is set. ‘That is where I am going to sit’ is what the first thing that comes to their mind, while peeping in from the window of the metro. Despite scuffling hard for a seat all they are able to fetch for themselves is a corner near the doors. Satiated with their share of possession to laze on, they at times succeed in taking a nap leaning there too.

Unaffected Ones - A few are those who are so busy banging their head listening to the ardent music on their gadgets that they miss-out on a heated argument between two of the commuters sitting right in front of them. Usually such people go un-noticed unless they themselves give others an opportunity to notice them. Sometimes it is the loud music which can be heard by the fellow passengers from their hands-free or people bellowing on their phones, loud enough to be heard in the adjacent compartments.

Staring Masters - Not only do guys but many women play chiefly in making the fellow commuters uncomfortable with a simple stare. These people are so perfect with the act that they make the person conscious and start flicking through themselves if everything is in place. Guys are often seen crossing the boundary set for them beyond the general coach and if that is not feasible their intense gaze is enough to make a couple or girls standing nearby feel uneasy.

Free-to-do anything - Almost every day you come across several of the kind who are the rulers of this public transport. Putting all the rules at stake, breaking queues and pushing the guards as and when the metro arrives is the trend these people follow. All that which has to be followed as per the rules is what these commuters tend not to follow. Whether it is about throwing garbage around, leaning on the doors or walking out of the queue, they violate them all.

Smell-so-good - An interesting category of people whom you across in metro are those who ditch their deodorants in summers and are superb in making the passengers uncomfortable with their bad body odor and sweaty clothes. Despite some of them belonging to a refined class of people, personal hygiene is what these people fail to maintain. These are people who you hate secretly and can’t do anything more than throwing at them strange and annoyed looks.

And lastly, very few are the Hopeful Travelers, generally like you and me who board and de-board metro twice or thrice to reach their desired destination wishing there was one direct metro to their home. With the hope that with the advancement in technology, Delhi metro serving people for over 11 years will run a metro line running directly to their place, offering them a more comfortable and smooth ride.

Well this is what I have seen and experienced while traveling in the metro. If you have anything to share, please do write your experience or comment. I would like to listen you all.

Traditional Art Forms Sustaining Poor in the City

Her heartfelt smile invited me to start a chitchat session. But it was her sheer talent at her job that left me flabbergasted. I saw her at Dilli Haat where she sells self-made Papier Mache art-pieces. From attractive utility items like pen stands, paper weights, envelopes boxes and jewelry boxes to decorative artifacts like animal and bird figures, she has a wide range of products.

Originally from Bihar, Puneeta Devi resides in Delhi to earn her livelihood. She moved to Delhi in order to support her family financially and now it’s been more than 15 years. Her family including four kids and a husband are also involved in the business. Her children assist her backstage in making art-pieces. At Dilli Haat, famous for its traditional artwork, she works with her brother who has his own shop of Madhubani paintings. Although she sells her stuff here but her random business visits to ongoing art fairs in and around Delhi help her fetch some more clients. While talking to her further, I could feel her pain in trying to make ends meet every day. She told that Papier Mache is a less recognized art in India and there are times when she sells nothing.

For many of us who don’t know about Papier Mache, here comes the basic information of its meaning and origin. 

Papier Mache or Paper Mache is a French word meaning “mashed or chewed paper”. It is a composite material consisting of soft paper pieces, hardened with textiles, bound with an adhesive, such as starch or glue.

Papier Mache as an art form originated during 105 A.D from China; the inventors of paper itself. According to studies, they used Papier Mache to make helmets of all things, which they toughened by many layers of lacquer. From China, the interest in the art passed on to Japan and Persia, where it was used in mask-making and festival activities before it eventually spread across the globe.

Undoubtedly the Moguls contributed a lot to Indian art, but one of their greatest contributions was to introduce Papier Mache to Indian craftsmen. This art was greatly favored by Mogul emperors who came from Central Asia in the 15th and 16th century and ruled India for almost 200-300 years.

After much evolution, today, it has become extremely stylized with the use of real gold and silver paint and by the addition of intricate decorations. The designs of Kashmiri Papier Mache, generally in the form of flowers and birds, have a strong Persian flavor. The Papier Mache artifacts are usually made in every Indian village but that of Bihar are famous, in particular, due to its painting style. Artisans of Bihar make beautiful crafts with colourful paintings on them. The most interesting fact about the art form is that it is considered as a great recycle craft and serves as good means of business for many poor and landless people across India.

10 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ZARA

1- ZARA is a Spanish clothing and accessories retailer. Founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega and Rosalía Mera, the brand rapidly became a leader in Spanish fashion. Today it is one of Spain’s most popular clothing brands and its stores can be found all over the world.

2- Amancio Ortega, the owner of ZARA is the richest person in Spain and the second richest person in all of Europe. In March 2014, Amancio Ortega was ranked as the third richest person in the world by Forbes with a net worth of USD $64 billion. Strangely Ortega has never given a public interview, and in contrast to his work in the world of fashion is generally seen in a pair of blue jeans and a T-shirt.

3- The brand’s name was actually a fluke. Reportedly it had to be “Zorba” but due to some copyright issues, it could not happen. Declining pricey new moulds, a new name had to come from those already cast. Paradoxically, Spain is the only country in which ZARA is pronounced not “Zah-rah”, but “Tha-ra.”

4- With little to no advertising, ZARA has managed to become a multi-billion dollar brand. The company spends almost nothing on advertising and gives preference to invest a percentage of revenues in opening new stores instead. The little it spends goes to strengthen its identity as a clothing retailer; low-cost but high fashion. It does not even engage in showy promotions. But yes, the brand invests lavishly in the beauty, historical appeal and location of its stores.

5- The first online boutique for ZARA was launched by Inditex on September 6, 2010. The website started catering its online services in Spain, the UK, Portugal, Italy, Germany and France—six countries that were among the then most important of the company’s 76 markets.

6- Amazingly the brand requires just 2 weeks to develop a new product and get it to stores, compared to the six-month industry average, and launches around 10,000 new designs each year. The success of the brand also lies in the fact that it produces where it sells. This attains short lead times for new fashion ideas.

7- At the headquarters in Spain, sales of each piece are watched, designers make new things according to the sales, and window displays are created on a mock storefront that is on a life-size street. Interestingly design collections are created by creative teams rather than groups of designers.

8- New collections are brought into the stores twice a week, and since there are not many of each item, it makes them appear exclusive.

9- Each collection of ZARA often sells out. The company strategically opens stores in heavily trafficked, high-end retail areas where a sense for style is sharpen and wallets are wide open. 

10- The most astonishing fact about ZARA is that the brand has managed to win over the fashionistas as well as the masses. From Hollywood to Bollywood, the brand is loved by all. Moreover Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge also has a strong inclination towards the brand. Kate Middleton has been recognized frequently in using ZARA. Interestingly the day after her wedding to Prince William, Kate stepped out in a cornflower blue, pleated polyester £49.99 ZARA dress. This proves that ZARA is one of Middleton’s options for performing the best fashionable look.

Bohagi Utsav 2014

A group of lovely girls and exuberant guys of AASA (All Assamese Students’ Association) were seen performing Bihu dance in the Bohagi Utsav. The Bihu dance is a folk dance from the Indian state of Assam associated with the festival of Bihu. This joyous dance is distinguished by brisk dance steps, and rapid hand movements. While performing this dance, dancers wear traditionally colorful Assamese clothing.

Bohagi Utsav 2014- Dilli Haat

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Assamese community recently celebrated Bihu festival with the support of AASA (All Assamese Students’ Association) by organizing the 6th Bohagi Utsav in Dilli Haat, New Delhi. This splendid event was attended by many renowned personalities from the Assamese community. The venue was jam-packed with the excited Assamese youngsters, veterans and many audiences to see the beauty of Bihu festival.