Monday, October 5, 2015

Gulzar Remembers Culture & Values of Old Delhi


Yesterday evening brought something special for the old lanes of Delhi 6. The esteemed newspaper Hindustan Times’ month long campaign to save Shahjahanabad met with a beautiful conclusion in the form of a musical concert titled “Dilli-6 Revisiting Shahjahanabad at Town Hall, Chandni Chowk. From very well-known poet, lyricist and filmmaker Gulzar to sufi singer Lalima to popular duo Nazami Brothers, all made this event a big hit with their poetry and lovely singing. While veteran Gulzar shared his fond memories of Dilli-6 and his experience of seeing Mahatma Gandhi for the first time near the Sis Ganj Gurudwara, Nazami Brothers sang many big hits including “Dama Dum Mast Kalandar”. Let’s take a view of this musical journey through these pictures:



     Sufi singer Lalima performed and rocked the audience with her impactful singing




      Veteran poet, lyricist and filmmaker Gulzar remembering the Old Delhi’s culture and values




      
      When Gulzar stood up and shared his favourite “nazams” of Mirza Ghalib 





             Nazami Brothers ended the event with their powerful “qawwalis”

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Can 'Nimbu-Mirchi' Save You From Evil Eyes?


India has a wide range of cultural beliefs and traditions that are carried generation to generation. We also have the quick remedies for all ailments, like how to expel fear, common cold & cough problems and frighten evil spirits. The evil eye warder also known as ‘Nazar Battu’ is used to keep houses, offices and businesses safe from all the evil spirits. This Battu or the ‘Nimbu-Mirchi  Totka’ as it is called, traditionally has ‘seven mirchis’ (chilies) and ‘one nimbu’ (lemon) to protect your house from all the bad spirits.


What does ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’ mean for you? A cultural belief, a superstition or nothing! But for most of the people, it is still more than a belief and simply an act to divert mis-happenings. In my neighborhood, an auntie was also the stern believer of ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’ and its positive effects. But one day something happened that changed her way of seeing it completely.

Every Saturday, a guy used to come to dangle a set of ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’ on the main door of my auntie’s house. Few days back, auntie was told by another lady that the ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’ guy is cheating on her as he takes more money from the auntie than her. Moreover that guy took money from auntie’s husband in her absence and later he also took money from auntie at the end of the month. She was upset with his dishonesty and decided to take his class. And then on next Saturday, he came. Auntie chided him badly. But instead of accepting his mistake, he misbehaved and left the place by saying not to come again. And he disappeared for the next 2 weeks. In the meanwhile, auntie got to know that he didn’t even come to another lady’s home to dangle the ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’. Now she got confused that why he stopped coming even at their home.

Finally on third Saturday, he came and started apologizing for his cheating and misconduct. He also agreed to charge the same from her and not to repeat any mistake again. This sudden change made auntie perplexed. Then she saw him injured and unable to walk properly. When she inquired, he told her that after that day’s ruckus, when he was going back to his work by his bicycle, he met with an accident. His bicycle got damaged completely and he too got injured in that accident. It took him two weeks to recover. Since then he was repenting on what he did.

A bicycle full of at least hundred sets of ‘Nimbu-Mirchi’ couldn’t save his owner from the accident. Well, it’s always your deeds that makes you or breaks you. Anything done with a bad intention can never bring good luck, wealth and peace. Goodness and honesty are the only ‘totkas’ that can invite happiness and luck. Else can only bring bad luck sooner or later. So it is always righty said that do good and leave everything on God. He will surely save you from all evils. 

Sunday, May 17, 2015

How to Rock with Black in Summers


Girls, if Black is the lead hero in your wardrobe even in the blazing summer heat, then don’t worry, you’re just like me! I too love to go all Black wherever and whenever it’s possible. But hello wait, if you think that Black is not the colour for summers and it just plays a guest role in your springy ensemble, then let me tell how to play with this bold and very elegant colour to jazz up your summer look. Here are the 6 easy ways to include this darkest hue into your attire and appearance:-






1. Eyeliner- Putting a fuller-thicker layer of “kajal” into your eyes is a strict no-no in summers! That will surely help you in winning an intellect look but it’s not apt for summers. A Black eyeliner is something that will go well with all your springy dresses. It can be subdued for office, with a thin line close to the lashes, or as glam as you want for clubbing. You can also enhance your lower lids with a thin layer of kohl pencil for an instant smoky look or leave the lower lids bare to make your eyes appear wider.

2. Skirt- Be it short, long or knee length, a Black skirt in summers will always leave everyone stunned.  Team it up with your floral shirts, sleeveless tees or crop tops to create an instant magic. When selecting your Black summer skirt, keep the material light and airy. Complete your overall look with a pair of cool flats or sexy heels.

3. Leggings- A list of Black fashion staples would be lacking without a pair of Black leggings. Every girl should have it in her closet. It’s not just a layer to wear underneath a long tunic or dress, it’s more than that! This versatile piece of clothing is perfect for all your summers’ outfits. Team it up with your long shirts or short dresses for a fresh and casual look. This amazing creation will also save your legs from the scorching heat of summers and tanning.

4. Sling Bag- When it’s summer, it should be sling! Black bags will always be ‘in’ because they match well with literally everything. Remember a sling bag will set you free. No need to hold anything in your hands and roam around freely in summers. Try a small, clutch-sized handbag but for a night out. Make sure you add a solid black bag in your collection.

5. Footwear- Whether you’re into flats, bellarinas, flip-flops, peep-toes, wedges or stilettos, the colour Black is reliable enough to carry with any outfit. For casual outing, choose flats or ballerinas and for party/official look, put your best foot forward with heels. Black colour will blend well with all of your attires.

6. Jewelry- Black jewelry makes a great statement when paired with almost anything to everything. For a classy look, add a collar necklace comprised of black stones to a white or cream coloured blouse or a dress. Black stones make great earrings, as well, and can be dressy enough to wear with your Black dress for clubbing.

So, keep these suggestions in your mind to rock with Black as your wardrobe staple in summers. Don’t forget to stick to Black for a chic head-to-toe look and spice up your summers’ style. 

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Indian Women Inspiring the Nation


It took long but the typical roles, responsibilities and habits of Indian women have been metamorphosed completely and creatively. They are walking hand in hand with men and in fact there is no such field where India women have not been able to make their mark. Today’s Indian woman is not only a daughter; she is also a social activist. She is not just a mother, but also a traveler. She isn't merely a homemaker but an entrepreneur too! She is not even scared of entering into the world's most challenging and creative fields. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, here is the list of my 5 favourite self-made Indian women who not only earned the name, fame, honors in their respective fields but also received the respect for their contribution for the welfare of the other Indian women.


Photo Courtesy : Google
Laxmi-  Her life is an inspiration for many. India’s daughter, an acid attack survivor- Lakshmi is now a campaigner with Stop Acid Attacks and a TV host. Laxmi is the director of a NGO named Chhanv Foundation that is relentlessly working for the survivors of acid attacks in India. Recently Laxmi got International Women of Courage Honor by US First Lady Michelle Obama. She was also chosen as the NDTV Indian of the Year.

In 2005, Laxmi was attacked by a man with acid. Since then her life got changed completely, turned into a complete hell. But with her courage, will and perseverance, she crossed all the hurdles, fought the battles and came out as a true winner. 

Started working as a campaign coordinator, Lakshmi has now became a voice of the survivors of Acid Attacks across the world. Not only this brave girl has earned respect from all over the world but also the multiple awards for her work to control the sale of acid and to rehabilitate the survivors of acid attacks. Little she cares about her looks and now enjoys her stance as a strong woman.



Photo Courtesy: Google
Rakhi Birla- Notoriously known as a dirty field, Indian politics has always been a tough profession for women. But still many came, survived and even ruled the game of power. After digging into the recent past of Indian politics, her inspiring candor and achievements made me to mention the new-age politician Rakhi Birla. Since beginning, this young politician minded her own business and with her hard-work, she has now made a strong stand for herself in politics.

The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) candidate from Mangolpuri, Delhi, Rakhi recently won the Vidhan Sabha elections by a good margin. In last time's Delhi polls, she also grabbed victory for her party. She is still a staunch member of party and working dedicatedly for the welfare of women and other important social issues.

Hailed from a family involved into social causes, Rakhi was the cabinet minister of Women & Child, Social Welfare and Languages in Delhi Government from Dec 28 2013 to Feb 14 2014. Before stepping into politics, the girl has also worked as a reporter. From her efforts, this young politician helped a lot to turn the negative response of Delhi voters into positive for her party. After facing toughest voter questions, she survived and managed to create a win-win situation for her party. Making her own stand and surviving so amazingly in politics is simply an achievement in itself.

Photo Courtesy: Google
Shalu Sharma- Women of intellectual India have also stepped into blogging profession. Both in terms of acknowledgment as well as making money, they are doing well with this creative turf. Out of the lot, one is Shalu Shrama who named herself many achievements for her relentless tryst in travelling. 

Born and raised in Patna, Shalu is the founder of a popular travel blog called shalusharma.com -a guide to India, she writes about different travel destinations in India. With being a homemaker with children, she is also a writer, explorer, adventurer and a thinker. She is involved into a lot of outdoors activities, site seeing, travelling in and out of India. 

Shalu Sharma is also the creator of the social networking site of Bihar titled youbihar.com. Her love for Bihar has compelled to make her think. Analyze the state of Bihar!  And create her first website on Bihar. Today it is one of the biggest social networking sites of Bihar with over 12,000 members and still rising. Pursue your passion so passionately after marriage in India is really a Herculean task for a woman but with her unstoppable spirit, Shalu made her own way to success.




Photo Courtesy: Google

Meenu Vadera- With the changing mindset of India, women are also trying their hands in different work areas for the welfare of their fellow Indian women. They have now new ideas, thoughts and business. A lady of substance, strength and brains, Meenu Vadera started Sakha, a cab service run by women for women, to offer safe cab and chauffeur services to women in Delhi by training women from marginalized communities as drivers.

A graduate from London School of Economics with an MSc in Social Policy & Planning, Meenu Vadera is working for women’s rights and development for a long time now. She has, over the years written and published articles on women’s rights in various magazines and books. Now her project Sakha is providing Delhi women an option of safe cab service and also enabling women to live a life of dignity and socio-economic freedom.

Sakha project is also helping women to come out from their home, abusive relationships and miserable conditions. It wants women to break their financial and emotional dependence on men. Showing women, especially those from unprivileged backgrounds, that there is another respectful and better way to live! Undoubtedly this by the women, of the women and for the women, Sakha organization of Meenu Vadera is incredible from all ways.  



Photo Courtesy: Google
Kangana Ranaut-   2014 saw many women of Bollywood enjoying on cloud nine including Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, Rani Mukherjee, Ekta Kapoor but as correctly said by Kareena Kapoor, it was the year of actor Kangana Ranaut. 

Those who neither loved her nor did they ever pay attention to her hate page, have changed their mind finally after seeing her awe-struck performance in ‘Queen’. It has coerced them to put Kangana at a dais, so high, simply worth kudos! After bagging many accolades for ‘Queen’ including the best compliments from bigwigs like Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, Deepika, Kangana has now in her kitty, an end number of offers from big production houses, banners and brands. 

Right from a 'small town girl' status, to a ‘loser in love’ jinx, to a regular fashion faux committer, to fading celeb allegations, such statements by paparazzi and critics trailed the actress almost at each step. But with her impudence and strong determination, the actress swam against a raging storm, survived all the odds and now, has left her contemporaries far behind. On the basis of her choices and power-packed acts in movies like ‘Gangster’, ‘Woh Lamhe’, ‘Tanu Weds Manu’, ‘Fashion’, ‘Queen', Kangana has entered into the list of top Bollywood heroines. 

Not just she has raised the bar so high for other actresses of her league; she has become the new Hero of the industry that too sans any godfather. With riding so high, reaching almost at the pinnacle, I still believe Kangana has a long way to go and she is here to stay, survive & shine like a star!

Friday, March 6, 2015

Holi Festival 2015 - Dilli Haat INA


What would you call an evening just ahead of Holi which showed you the true forms of the festival being played by the Gods in earlier times! An absolute magic, a sheer bliss, a real paradise, an utter delight and what not- everything at once. Yesterday i.e. March 5 in Dilli Haat-INA was one such evening in the form of Holi festival 2015 organized by Iskcon temple and Sahitya Kala Parishad. This cultural show took everyone out there back in the old lanes of Vrindavan, Mathura, Brij, Barsane by showing the traditional styles of playing Holi. Catch a glimpse of this visual treat through my lens.



                                                 The main entrance of Dilli Haat- INA





Lord Krishna in the guise of peacock showing his love to Radha


Lord Krishna, his devotees and Radha dancing in the guise of peacock 



Lord Krishna and Radha in a divine union



Lord Krishna, his devotees and Radha playing Holi of Flowers





Holi of Flowers



Radha dancing on the tunes of Lord Krishna's flute 




Audience enjoying the show




                                       Lathmar Holi- Another traditional style of playing Holi





                 Lord Krishna's devotees playing Lathmar Holi





                                  Lord Krishna's devotees playing with flowers





Lord Krishna and Radha locked in love



                           Lord Krishna, his devotees and Radha




                       A band performance concluded this beautiful evening

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Do Good & Good Will Follow You!


Like any other kid, I too was fond of listening stories during my childhood but travel tales were my favourites. And this is why I have a strong, a very deep inclination towards travelling as it unfolds a whole new world of interesting travel stories. Travel comes with many great opportunities. With a chance to explore new places, to meet new people, to experience new cultures & values, to learn new languages & dialects and to enjoy local delicacies, travelling provides another exciting prospect to eavesdrop to the unsaid, unheard, unknown anecdotes of those who inspire deeply but being left overlooked by society. During my visit to Ekling Ji temple of Udaipur in December 2014, I met this old lady who runs a free drinking water counter just outside the temple's entrance gate for localiites, visitors and travelers from morning to night. I found her working alone there. After a little chat, a localiite sitting next to the lady disclosed few things about her.



This old lady is almost in her late 80s or 90s. Filling the water buckets to serving water to dish-washing, she does it all alone. Generally at free drinking water counters, we drop a few coins as a token of gratitude. But hers has no money involved in it. She never asks for even a single penny. She does it as she finds solace, happiness, contentment in serving thirsty people. "Do good and cast it into the river" is her mantra of life. She believes that she is here on earth for a special purpose and that purpose is to serve mankind without any thought of profit or loss, and old age, her physical ailments, any disease, or anything cannot stop her following her true calling. Whenever somebody asks something to her, all she does is a sweet smile as she can't speak and listen much due to her old age. She cannot even see and walk properly. Though she can rest but her sentiment to serve people doesn't let her do so. Her selfless act to serve people is her ultimate strength. Compelled to say that I was overwhelmed by her genuine goodness, her real emotions and her invincible spirit! The love she was putting into serving, into giving was commendable.

Although I have seen many people running these kinds of free drinking water counters but this one truly is different where an act of social service is totally selfless, where the joy of feeding thirsty people is much bigger than the pains of her own life and where there is still an utter belief in good "karmas". She has proved that age can never be a hurdle in doing something good, something positive, something out of your reach; age is an issue of mind over matter, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter.

Well, it's believed that feeding water to a thirsty person is not an extra-ordinary do; it becomes large enough to wipe out all the sins of a very sinful person. Go on, spread smiles, love all and never leave the next chance to do something good. As true happiness is giving it away. Always remember that famous quote of our great Mother Teresa- "If you can't feed a hundred people then feed just one." So do good & good will come to you for sure!

Sunday, February 15, 2015

My 5 Favourite Cities to Travel


If you are crazy about something and always think about that, it means you are in love with that something! Well friends I am all crazy about travel, travel photography, travel stories and everything that belongs to and comes with travel. Yes I’m in love with travel. So here’s my top 5 favourite cities where i traveled and would love to revisit! Let’s have a peek-a-boo..
Jaipur- The capital city of the Indian state of RajasthanJaipur is one of the most vibrant, colourful and happening cities of India. The city is famous for its rich art, craft & culture, amazing forts & palaces, beautiful mountains & lakes and more than that for its eventful past and glorious history. And during the Jaipur Literature Festival, the city also attracts a huge mob of intellectuals, writers, bloggers, photographers, artists and traveler. You can see the famous Jal Mahal of Jaipur below in the picture



Nainital- A very popular hill station in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, Nainital is set in a valley containing a pear-shaped lake and surrounded by lovely mountains. This shot was taken from the Naini Peak of Nainital. 




Kathmandu- Best known as the gateway to tourism in Nepal, Kathmandu is the capital and largest municipality of the country. Kathmandu is the core of Nepal’s largest urban agglomeration and also the hub of the country’s economy. In 2013, the city was ranked 3rd among the top 10 travel destinations on the rise in the world by TripAdvisor, and ranked first in Asia. This shot was taken from the Swayambhunath. You can see the city below.




Jammu- The winter capital of Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu is situated on the banks of Tawi river. Tourism is the largest industry in Jammu as in the rest of the state. It is also a focal point for the pilgrims going to Vaishno Devi and Kashmir valley. A view of Vaishno Devi Katra, Jammu is being captured by me in this picture. 





Udaipur- Often called the “Venice of the East”, and also the “City of Lakes”, Udaipur is the historic capital of the kingdom of Mewar in the former Rajputana Agency. The city is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in Rajasthan of India. Apart from its eventful history, rich craft & culture, and scenic beauty, the city is also famous for its Rajput-era palaces. The Fateh Sagar Lake of Udaipur looks more beautiful when the sun goes down. Look at the sunset below!








Friday, January 30, 2015

Taj Mahal- A Trip to Heavenly Love

Okay! We all have been seeing men getting awestruck by the beauty of women for an eternity now. Expressing their feelings through music, art, writing, poetry is a conventional yet celebrated way in love. Literature and history are full of such examples where lovers could be seen crossing all the boundaries. But above all, the most astounding deed so far was done by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his loving wife Mumtaz Mahal in the form of white marble mausoleum Taj Mahal.


One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal is the most iconic image of India and is mainly famous for its legend of eternal love. In a recent online survey by a website named TripAdvisor, travellers from across the globe ranked India's Taj Mahal among the top three landmarks in the world. Taj’s magical allure attracts around 3-4 million tourists with a huge number of International tourists every year. Such is its miraculous appeal that anyone can easily fall for Taj. And ever since I saw this gigantic marble beauty, I too fell in love with this epitome of love and architecture of exquisite beauty.

Friends, few days back, I got a chance to visit Agra to see the Taj Mahal with my friends. We planned a day-trip and chose to go by road. We decided to reach Agra via Yamuna expressway. As always I was super excited for this trip. It wasn't like that I was going to Agra for the first time; I had been there many times before. I don’t exactly remember when was the first time I visited Agra but yes I was quite young, a kid in fact and went to Agra with my parents for a relative’s wedding. And the day after wedding, we went to see the Taj Mahal. That was my first stint with my dear Taj. Guys, I still remember I was being told by somebody that once you would see the Taj Mahal, it definitely would change your parameters to judge a beauty. I don’t know when would I get the opportunity to witness all the striking architectures of the world, but even after watching all of them, Taj would always be on peak, special and close to my heart. Although this magnetic marble masterpiece looks more arresting at a full moon night but its other shades at different time of the day are no less interesting. From a rosy tinge in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden at night, the changing colours resemble the changing moods of women. Strange!

Well it was a one chilly day of winters. Since morning it was drizzling very slowly making the weather lovelier. Appearing..disappearing in the dark depths of the sky, clouds were seemed to be busy in playing hide and seek like kids. I could feel the softness of fresh raindrops when they were almost kissing my face and lips. This early morning splashing breeze was making my body sing like strings of violin. Yes something mysterious was there in the air which was incessantly raising my heartbeats with happiness. Wow.. What a day it was! Without interrupting our plan, we started our journey. The Yamuna expressway route was good and in accordance to international standards. I even did driving for few kilometers. Though I love chauffeur driven car but driving altogether is a different delight. Sitting next to driver’s seat, I was thinking about the products which used the Taj branding. Starting from one of the best group of hotels in India to a premium tea brand, all have used the name Taj as their brand name. The moment we need to define something magnificent, we start comparing it with Taj. As rich in history as in opulent marble, Taj defines class, richness, majesty, royalty, grandeur, luxury, splendor and what not! The car slowly stopped and we got down for a small tea break.

Precisely after 20 minutes, we’re again on the wheels. Now the Taj Mahal was not so far. From Delhi to Agra via express highway, it takes 2.30 to 3 hours to reach Agra. For those who live in Delhi and wish to see only the Taj Mahal, it is a single day up down if you start early. Now we had entered in to the vicinity of the city and took the help of Google maps to reach our destination. I, most of the time, take the help of Google maps to search a place. But at times, these maps force me to cross the most narrowed streets, busy routes and even a lake. After crossing the expressway, it was a stretch of 20-30 minutes to reach Taj. We also met traffic on our way. The car was crawling till that time providing us an ample time to scan everything that came in the way. Situated on the banks of river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the city of Agra has a glorious history. Apart from the Taj Mahal, it has several other splendid Mughal-era buildings including Red Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Agra is very well preserved city keeping its rich culture, traditions, values, authenticity still intact. Till today Agra gives that pleasant urbane village feel. Overall it felt great to see the city again.

The cluttered parking zone of the Taj Mahal stranded us with no place left for our car. Somehow after parking the car, we took the battery rickshaw ride to reach the ticket counter.  Whenever I went to see the Taj Mahal, I always found long queues at the ticket counters. This crowd supported the fact that there is no specific season to see this beauty. The security checking process came to an end with a lady guard taking all the chocolates and candies out of my bag. :(


Whoaa!! Finally I was there with lot of joy, thrill and enthusiasm inside. As it rained in the morning, the pleasant fragrance of wet mud from surrounding gardens was everywhere. I felt like a sweet music in the air was inviting me to get closer to Taj. The place, the people, the sights, the weather, everything seemed to be so pleasing, so perfect, almost like a utopia. Yes there was something magical about seeing thousands of people energized at the same time, in seeing happiness being shared so freely, in seeing people finally finding time to do the things they love; in short, seeing people happily live. It felt like the place that I have always imagined in my mind– a place of contented, elated, and free souls. Since this place was not just about nurturing bodies but the minds and souls too. And Taj nurtured all the three for me.

Standing in a queue to have an inside look of Taj, we started discussing the popular myths about this monument. According to a legend, it is believed that Shah Jahan was planning to construct a black marble Taj Mahal across the river Yamuna. As I am bit fearful of twins or identical people, I am happy that it is not true. Here it reminds me of Bibi Ka Maqbara and Taj Mahal Bangladesh that are widely known as replicas of the Taj Mahal. Located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Bibi Ka Maqbara was commissioned by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the memory of his first wife. And a scaled copy of the original Taj Mahal, Taj Mahal Bangladesh was made by a wealthy Bangladeshi film-maker in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, in Sonargaon. But, these two replicas or any other monument can never take over the charisma, grandeur and majesty of our Indian Taj Mahal.


Moving further, I witnessed few dazzling views to die for. The weather kept on changing after every ten minutes as it was drizzling in-between. Here I could see the white clouds playing with the dome of the Taj Mahal. It was too ecstatic to see the sky in all shades of blue. I never saw a river making out with the rain as beautifully as river Yamuna was seen doing so. Flocks of birds were flying together in aesthetic patterns leaving everyone mesmerized, sometimes almost kissing the finial of Taj. I had never in my life imagined the Taj Mahal the way I saw it in that damp. It made my time stand still. The white marble minarets, the red sandstone walls, the pavements, the gardens, the clouds, the sky, the river, the raindrops, the flocks of birds, the sounds, everything there were so bright and unparalleled even better than the finest shots of a professional photographer. This scenic beauty made me happy, excited, fascinated, enthralled, numbed, stunned, relaxed, blessed, loved and what not- all at once! I was charmed by the union of emotions happening inside my heart. I was chuckling like a child who was seeing something for the first time in life. Well I was in love with this weather, this exquisite beauty and this experience of lifetime. I feel the real happiness and inner peace can best be found at a place like this.

Apart from jumping with joy, my heart was constantly asking that if this white marble monument would prove out to be a temple-“Tejo Mahalaya”, would it make any difference in the way millions of people now feel for it! I believed, no, it would not, it would never. Shakespeare very well said that “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

World's most beautiful monument, the Taj Mahal is everything for me, almost like a dream come true feeling. Sometimes I think if God were seeing the Taj Mahal from heaven, he too would get smitten over its infinite beauty and would want to create one for himself. Mughal Emperor Jahangir is reported to have said soulfully about Kashmir- “If there is paradise on Earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.” Enamoured by the beauty of Taj, I believe that “If someday God would choose any place as his abode on Earth, it would be the Taj Mahal, it would be the Taj Mahal, it would be the Taj Mahal.”






Monday, January 5, 2015

Cantabil to Set Feet in E-Commerce Space


From domestic goods to gadgets, personal care products to jewelry, groceries to apparels, today’s Indian customers prefer almost everything branded.

The brand conscious attitude for gadgets of the aspiring Indian consumers was always evident due to their heavy cost and complex mechanism, but surprisingly the clothing industry also saw an unbelievable boom for brand love. The entire fashion fraternity experienced the customers’ fetish for branded clothes. Since the urban high income class could easily afford the International brands, the middle class was still reeling under the pressure and the need of a premium domestic brand to match up with their expectations. Then to cater to the needs of this segment of Indian market, Delhi based fashion brand Cantabil came into rescue and started its garments manufacturing and retailing business in 2000. The brand opened its first Cantabil store and started in September 2000 from New Delhi. And now after seeing its growing demand in the domestic market, Cantabil’s next agenda is stepping up its online retail presence.



Targeting the service professionals of middle income group, the brand has evolved over the years. One of the few major domestic apparel brands, Cantabil, has now expanded well in small as well as in big cities. After understanding the psyche of its customers, Cantabil is soon coming up with its three more clothing lines: Bonetti in the premium category; Crozo in women’s wear category; and Kaneston- an innerwear & accessories brand. Not just this, the brand has also a big plan to launch its own e-commerce website for its valued clientele.

Cantabil is well aware with the fact that with the opening up of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), a lot of global brands are coming into India. Therefore, the brand is all set for this expansion and competition. This apparel brand will push these three upcoming brands aggressively on its upcoming website. The brand operates 150 Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs) in 17 states and 71 cities. Of these, 70 percent stores are in North India covering all major cities of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab. The bright future of e-commerce has forced this Indian brand to come up with its own e-commerce site. Since the domestic market has responded positively, the brand is confident that their online venture will also be received well by their loyal customers.