Impact of Blogging, a Fantastico Journey

My blogging journey started exactly 18 months ago. I’ve been an enthusiastic writer since my school days. I used to write poems, short stories but was always hesitant to show it to anybody. That were the secrets kept within the pages of my notebook. During my engineering days, I almost forgot to scribble anything. The ideas either didn’t occur or when they did shine, I was too busy with my studies. After getting my first job, the ecstasy of earning and spending on my own was overwhelming and writing as a hobby was still to resurface. Then after settling on my second job and being in this IT industry for five long years, the monotony was rising slowly. Then, as a result, the writing bug slowly creeps in and, finally, I started this blog.

It has been a fantastico journey so far. Blogging makes us look beyond ourselves. I’m not a great reader, but since I’ve started writing on this blog (my sister has some contributions to this blog, too and I have to acknowledge her), I’ve resumed my habit of reading. I enjoy reading posts people publish on their blogs. Blog posts do reveal different incidents of their life and work and I love reading those tidbits.

The journey of my blogging is something very much like the new car introduced by Tata Motors. The new Tata Zica is a zippy car. It’s peppy, spacious, strong, fuel-efficient and is based on an all-new platform. The unique design makes it a fun drive. Similarly, blogging has opened new horizons to me. I have come to know of things and write about them which I couldn’t think of before.

The sojourn as a blogger till now is really a peppy one. I’ve made friendship with new people, they all have different point of views towards life and things, but they all share the same love, the love of blogging.

The most amazing thing is I’ve discovered one of my school friends here in the blogosphere. We studied in the same school for just 4 years and then his father was transferred to another city. But he was a good friend to remember. A few months ago, while I was just aimlessly going through the list of bloggers on Indiblogger, I happened to stumble upon a name that rang a bell. I visited the blog and emailed him to confirm the identity. The reply came within 20 minutes! We both were happy to meet each other after a decade. He runs a tech-blog and his main goal is to help co-bloggers with information and know-how.

As Tata Motors defines the design of the new Tata Zica as ‘expressive and exciting’, similarly, words scribbled on this blog are moving expressions of my heart. They reflect my passion for writing. I don’t write to preach, I write because I’ve something to say and the feelings are unleashed through words. Blogging has undoubtedly impacted my life by making it a better one.

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Impacts of Social Media on Our Life

Social media definitely plays a major role in our life. In this age of gadgets and smartphones, even a kid knows how to operate a facebook account. Gone are those days when a tablet meant a ‘goli’ you need to wash down with plain water when ill. Nowadays, words such as ‘like’ ‘follow’ or ‘share’ have meanings our ancestors couldn’t even think of! “I am following you” doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong and, I’m keeping an eye on you. Sometimes, when I think of these titanic transitions, I can’t help laughing.

The impacts of social media on our daily life are irrefutable. Let’s discuss some of them in a lighter mood.

What is most important to a person when he is attending a family function? Well, earlier, this meant meeting with relatives, exchanging pleasantries, paying respect to elders. But now, the first and foremost thing a person does is updating his status on facebook as,”attending my cousin’s wedding”. That’s tolerable. But most of the times the status update is accompanied by a ‘selfie’! This tendency is more infectious with our female counterparts, and especially on wedding seasons, my timeline gets flooded with selfies! No idea why suddenly we earthlings have become so narcissistic.

With the proliferation of profile pictures and selfies, the demand for ‘like’ has also increased. It is the most active social media paraphernalia. Whether you actually have a liking for any picture or not, that matters a fig. You must hit a ‘like’ for all the photos of your friends, his dogs, his uncle’s false teeth, his grandma’s pair of glasses…so on and so forth. If you ever fail to perform, your friends would mark you as selfish or unsocial. Sometimes, I really pray for a ‘dislike’ button, of course, an anonymous one!

As in this country, there are now more mobile phones than toilets, no wonder that the citizens are busy taking pictures everywhere and of anything. We were supposed to gobble down the food as soon as they arrived in the post-smartphone days. Now, it’s mandatory to take pictures of the food from different angles before you start eating and, post them on your social media handles. Even if you’re hungry, you can’t just start eating…that’s not the social rule. Take pictures, post them, wait for at least a couple of likes, and then, start eating! Don’t miss the positive aspect of this phenomenal change, it has helped us to check our primal urge of hunger and temptation, it has helped us to increase the patience!

We used to play games of different types in our childhood, both indoor and outdoor. But whatever it might be, we never consistently nagged an unwilling friend to play a particular game. That was something  rude, irrational and irritating. But now, your friends can make you mad with anger and frustration simply by sending repetitive requests of Candy Crush or Farmville. You want to scream and crush their soul, but no way. You are a social animal.

So, let’s enjoy the parallel existence of two worlds in our life, real and virtual. Let the impact of social media deepen and live long!

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Quikr Nxt, the Best

Courtesy: Indiblogger

 

Quikr is, presently the best and largest portal in India for online and mobile classifieds. It acts effectively to bridge the gap between millions of buyers and sellers sprawled along the country. Not only that, the site keeps on improving itself by adding innovative and unique features.

The most recent feature of Quikr is Quikr NXT. It is actually a next generation feature which enables users to chat using the website or mobile app. The messenger is now an integrated feature of Quikr’s mobile app, mobile site, as well as the website. This, I think, is a product that will change the nature of online classifieds greatly. 

Most of the other sites of this kind  prompt the users to provide their mobile numbers or email ids so that interested customers can contact them. But the messenger app Quikr Nxt has freed the consumers  from all these hassles. There are many reasons why I think Quikr Nxt is a revolutionary product.

Firstly, we all know that the internet has brought the whole world under one roof. While it is a big achievement of science and technology, it has some disadvantages too. Sharing one’s personal mobile number or email address publicly can be unsafe keeping in mind the increasing number of  fraudulent activities on the web. There are many people who are not at all willing to do so and hence, avoid such sites. Quikr Nxt is solving this problem as you can share information about your product without revealing your identity or credentials. Once you feel satisfied and convinced  about a certain person, after discussing and negotiating through the messaging app, you can share other personal details to further the transaction. Easy and effective, I must say.

Secondly, while email is an easy and cheap way of communication, risks are always there getting you inbox over flooded by hundreds of useless emails asking thousands of  questions regarding your product. It becomes really a time-consuming and titanic job to sort out the useful ones. It may happen that you actually miss the most vital ones in your inbox. The Quikr Nxt messenger solves this problem. No bombarding of e-mails to drive you crazy. You can discuss the pros and cons with the prospective buyer/seller without wasting your time searching those piles in your inbox. Really appreciable service from Quikr.

Thirdly, providing the mobile number in such sites means you’re negotiating with your privacy, big time. Even if you clearly mention the desired time frame to contact you regarding the buy/sell, there are always some people, who will overlook that point and, evidently call you up at the time when you’re at your office or enjoying quality time with your family. Moreover, a long conversation over the phone costs quite a bit, more so if it’s a STD. Through the photo sharing option, the consumers can share photos of their products in the most convenient way. And as we all know, a picture says a thousand words. Providing pictures of your products  really makes  it much easier for others to make their decisions.

So, from now on, it’s not only “No fikar, bech Quikr!” but also,“No fikar, chat Quikr”.

This post is written as a part of Indi Happy Hour Campaign, in association with Quikr.com and Indiblogger

My Pimple Saga

Pimple is a small word with a demonic effect, at least to me. I’ve been experiencing this distasteful lesions since my prepubescent days, and I know exactly how it feels with a couple of red zits proudly announcing their presence on the cheeks or the chin.

Most of the times, it starts in this way that, I wake up in the morning with an itchy feeling or irritation on the skin and as soon as I examine myself on the mirror of the toilet, my nightmare comes true! “Oh! NO! not again. These pimples are driving me crazy”! My silent scream mocks me and I realize that I’ve to accept the reality. So for the next few days, my lifestyle changes completely as I try my best to hide those pimples from the world!

First of all, I’ve to stop shaving as I become afraid that I’ll hurt myself badly in the process. The pimples are primarily quite painful and just a little scratch, while shaving, is enough to make me scream. And there I’m, with an unshaven face and untrimmed beard, all because of those PIMPLES.

The next conundrum begins as I prepare myself for the office. Having a face decorated with pimples doesn’t look good at all. It’s not only a matter of concern for girls but, for boys also. Moreover, womenfolk usually throw a look   as if I’m suffering not from acne problems but, from some fatal infectious disease. I can’t use heavy make-up to camouflage it and so it actually becomes a painful problem. I’ve no way but to hide my face and make my presence as inconspicuous as possible among the crowd. Again, just for those PIMPLES!

 

It is said, that “only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches”. For me, it is, “only the bearer knows where the acne itches”! Trust me, the problem is graver when it comes to guys. We can’t keep on ranting about it. We can’t apply anti-pimple masks or blah blah blah things to get rid of them. We just have to bear it silently. This is one hell of a problem and just as I’m about to explain a PowerPoint presentation, the pimples make me aware of their presence with the itch and pain! And here I’m again….trying a move which almost makes me look like a buffoon instead of an IT professional. All because of the PIMPLES.

God sometimes plays really foul with me by making the most dreadful nightmares real. As I reach home after a long tiring day at the office, my girlfriend calls me up at her own will ( which she rarely does).  With an extremely cheerful voice, she asks me to meet her the next day. I would have considered this offer as something equally prestigious as the Nobel Prize at any other time! But with these pimples on my face? How can I meet her? Just think of the dilemma, man! You can’t refuse her for she will take that as an extreme insult, and if you agree, you’re sure to get a loathing look from her for your acne infested face. 😦  Koi karein toh kya karein!!!

NO, I can’t just imagine standing in front of her with a face like this! I mumble and inform her that I’ve to attend an important meeting and so, we can’t meet. Not a single word and…she hung up. Oh! is there nothing which can save my love life from ruining?

My sulky face attracts my sister’s attention.

“What happened bro?”

“Nothing”.

I know she will definitely tease me if I tell her the truth. Sisters are always there to pull your legs and, a naughty sister like Pinky, can make you feel even worse. But she is my best friend too and this time as I looked at her flawless skin with no acne or anything, a faint ray of hope arises in my mind.

“Errrr…sis… do you know anything that can solve my pimple problem? I need some good stuff…effective and fast.”

“Oh! now I can understand. She must have called you up and so you’re seeking advice from me. You know, I’m a very sensible and good girl and so I’m here with the best remedy you can have.” She winked.

“Please, please tell me and I promise, I’ll give you a nice gift.”

“That’s great! Have you ever heard of Garnier Pure Active Neem Face Wash? It’s the best thing one can get to get rid of those wretched pimples. It contains real Neem leaf and Tree Tea oil extracts which naturally fight against germs and pollution and make your skin oil-free. An oil-free skin doesn’t let dirt and germs settle on it causing the pores  to get clogged. Thus, the skin becomes healthy and free of pimples.” 

She knows so many things! I should have consulted her earlier. After all, a sister is always there for you when you’re in danger. 😀

“How do you know all these?” I ask her.

“No rocket science. Just visit this Garnier site, Nopimplesnomarks and you’ll understand everything. And don’t forget my gift.”

After using Garnier Pure Active Neem Face Wash for just a few days, I feel as if I’m sailing in the sky with a much smoother face and I even try to sing a song in its praise! Much in the tune of “Pyaar to hona hi tha“!!!!

All I can say, thank you! my sis, for being with me and thanks Garnier for coming up with such a product which is equally helpful for guys also. It really works on our rough skin too. If you suffer from a pimple problem like me, just try it out and it will be of real help.

Last but not the least, I called up my girlfriend after a few days to make everything clear and after hanging on for more than one hour, we somewhat came to a truce.

All’s well that ends well.

This post is written as an entry for the Garnier Pure Active Neem Face Wash Contest, in association with bit.ly/GPABlogLinkIndiBloggerActivity , bit.ly/GarnierPureActiveNeemWebsite and Indiblogger

The cartoons are made with Bitstrips.

My Choice, My Kind of Device

In today’s world, we can’t think of a life without gadgets and gizmos. The internet has become an indispensable part of our daily life and we can choose the most appropriate device that suits best to us from a variety of ranges. When comes to gadgets, I’m a little freaky and my preference keeps on changing. That doesn’t mean that I buy all the devices that are flooding the market every day, but rather I make a survey of my own regarding a particular brand and its products. After judging the pros and cons of a device I usually take my decisions which are, as my friends say, always wise.

The Zenfone range of ASUS already has already surprised me with their wonderful features and that, too, within an affordable budget. Now, they’ve introduced the EeeBook X205TA and All In One PC ET2040. Both of them primarily look irresistible to me. The EeeBook comes with an Atom Quad Core (4th Gen) processor, 2GB DD3 RAM and 32 GB EMMC HDD. And the price is unbelievable! only INR 14,999! It’s really #GoSleek in every way. It has color variants too and that makes it more attractive, (especially among women 😛 ) But when I checked the All In One PC ET2040, it just bowled me over.

The All In One PC ET2040 has innovative gesture control which enables the user to control the device from up to five meters away! Wow! sounds really cool. I have a sort of addiction for computer games. I spend most of my leisure time playing games on the computer. Every game-freak knows that one needs a seamless and efficient connectivity to play high-end games like Asphalt 8, Airborne or Assassin’s Creed. You’ll miss all the enjoyment and excitement without a super-fast graphic. The ASUS All In One PC with it’s latest Intel Processor makes gaming an effortless fun. Moreover, multitasking is a child’s play when I have this with me. A big enough screen to share multiple apps, which run simultaneously without any interruption, makes gaming and working synonymous.

It has three Superspeed USB 3.0 ports which enable me to charge other devices like smartphones, tablets at a much faster speed. It can also transfer data between devices at a 10 times faster speed! I can connect to the built-in-HDMI-out port to connect to a second display, and wait, that’s not all…. to experience entertainment more vividly, it can also be connected directly to an HDTV! Whoa! sounds hell of a thing! As we all know, the bigger, the better.

The All In One PC ET2040 is actually a device that can be effectively used both for work and entertainment purpose effectively. I can watch movies on a big screen with the help of it; can play songs while preparing a presentation or while playing. The most attractive feature being the gesture control! With 2GB on board memory and Intel HD Graphics, it is all the more attractive. The OS is Windows 8.1.

I’m presently targeting for it because in my opinion it seems to be the best in its category at a price of only INR 25,999. So, what are you waiting for? Go get it and enjoy the experience.

This post is written as an entry for the Indi Happy Hour campaign in association with All In One PC ET2040, ASUS EeeBook X205TA and Indiblogger.

Picture Courtesy: Indiblogger & ASUS

The Litterbug’s Story

Who is The Great Indian Litterbug? 

A person who tries to fill this country with all the wastes he has is adorably called a litterbug. To him, all the public places are his litter bins and so it is the sole aim of his life to make proper use of them. He, by no means, wants to leave a space on the face of this planet spic and span. He considers that a sacrilege. So, let’s  consider a few cases which will make you familiar with his ‘modus operandi’.

Courtesy : http://greatindian.timesofindia.com/

The Great Spitting Spirit

Due to some inexplicable reasons the Great Indian Litterbug has a tendency to salivate most of the times. He is often seen to throw out that unwanted thick liquid in the form of ‘spit’. Moreover, he spits more when he chews tobacco or betel leaf or gutkha. We don’t blame him for spitting for it’s not at all healthy to store those gallons of spit within his body. He happily paints the wall red, that’s also good as the colour red signifies strength and vigour. Not only that, in addition to his spitting spirit, he gladly throws his phlegm (in case he catches a cold) on to some walls or on open road. So clever of him! It’s really nasty to blow globs of snot on tissues or kerchiefs. Using public properties for throwing such wastes is the best solution and the litterbug knows that very well.

Clicked by me

Spreading of (Un)Holy Water

The Great Indian Litterbug always answers promptly to his nature’s call, even when on the road. He is quick-witted, you know, and has an instant solution to every problem. He evidently finds a nook or corner where he can safely let out his bodily waste called ‘urine’. Maybe, it is the wall of  another person’s house or the corner of a children’s park, but he doesn’t mind these trivial things. The reeky smell of that particular place may raise your nausea, but he just doesn’t care. As the melancholy Jaques said in Shakespeare’s play As You Like It, ”all the world’s a stage”, so our litterbug keeps on saying,”all the world’s a toilet”.

Eat & Throw

This is the favorite game of our litterbug. He loves to eat fast-foods, especially chips, burgers and after munching them what is to be done with the packets? Oh! the poor litterbug! He doesn’t even know the word ‘litter-bin’. So what does he do? He just throws them on the road. Packets, bottles and everything (Now don’t get infuriated, do you expect him to carry all those things in his bag? Oh, I pity you!) And he enjoys this throwing game very much. Litter here, litter there, what a beauty!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this wonderful account of the Great Indian Litterbug. He is really a great soul and we need to understand that. So. next time you spot him carrying out his favorite activities in public places, don’t forget to take a picture. People like him need mass recognition so that they can be properly rewarded. Untill then, watch this video and enjoy.

To know more about the Great Indian Litterbug, visit greatindian.timesofindia.com

This post is written as a part of the Indichange campaign in association with Indiblogger and  http://greatindian.timesofindia.com/.

Go to Bangalore, Quikr

Source : Indiblogger

Relocating to any place means one has to plan millions of things. Gathering information about the pros and cons of the place, searching for a decent place to start the new household, inquiring in social networking sites about the available means of transport, or, if anybody is there who can give you company while you’re struggling to customize yourself according to the ambiance of the new city.  But relocating to Bangalore (or Bengaluru) means you’ve to deal with much more. Apart from the aforesaid things, the weather of Bangalore is quite hot and humid, the autowalahs are famous for their whims and tantrums and getting a decent flat with reasonable rent in the famous “Silicon Valley of India” is like getting the Nobel.

How does it feel when you get a friend who provides you solutions to almost all of your problems regarding relocation in Bangalore? Well, I  know your are saying after reading this,”no such friend exists in this cruel world!” But keep patience, to make you feel relieved, here comes Bangalore Quikr.com, the exclusive “it’s just Quikr in Bangalore site”!

As we all know, Quikr is, at present India’s largest portal for online and mobile classifieds. It acts as an effective conduit between buyers and sellers and thus helping millions of people everyday. The idea of developing exclusive city-based portals is unique and proves to be helpful for not only those who live in that particular city, but also for those who find them at a loss while relocating for the first time to an unknown city.

Let’s take an instance. The primary need while relocating to a city is a rented flat. I gave a search in the Bangalore Quikr.com website for a 1 BHK (I’m single and 1 BHK is enough for me) flat and within seconds it came up with a staggering 10505 results! The locations, rents etc are clearly mentioned and one can easily select something which best suits him. Quite a quick and easy job. Isn’t it? Hunting for houses in Bangalore was never so smooth.

After selecting a shelter, next things that prioritize my list, are those people who prove to be essential for us at any point of time. More so, when we are new to a city. Yes, I’m talking about, electricians, mechanics, plumbers and most importantly doctors. You can see in the screenshot provided below that there is a convenient list of all sorts of services, the nitty-gritty of life is well conceived by Quikr and it has catered all the necessary information one could possibly need in Bangalore.  From conveyance to catering, from astrologer to lawyer, from baby-sitters to maids, you name it, they will present a nice list within seconds.

Just take a glance at the main page of Bangalore.Quikr.com and you’ll understand that it’s not an exaggeration. This site, dedicated particularly to Bangaloreans, is proved to become essential for those who are relocating there. My office has a branch in Bangalore too and they could send me there any day. In that case, I would like to depend solely on http://bangalore.quikr.com/ for all my needs. In the same order as described in this post. Thanks to Quikr for coming up with such an useful site.

All screenshots provided here are taken from bangalore.quikr.com

 This post is an entry for Indi Happy-Hours Campaign in association with Indiblogger and bangalore.quikr.com

My New Year Resolutions With Micromax P666

I always think that I’m in a wrong profession being a software professional. From my very childhood I had an affinity for teaching. I still remember those days when I used to make a group of students including my younger cousins and made myself their self-appointed teacher. It was really a childish thing to do but I was really passionate about teaching. Even when in college I gave tuition to some students and was associated professionally with a local coaching-center.

With ongoing days my priority changed and I had to work hard to make my future bright. My job is quite demanding and a great part of the day is spent in office. I find it quite hard now to follow my old hobbies and passion, teaching being the most favorite of them. On Sundays, I go to an orphanage and try my best to spend some quality time with the kids over there while trying to educate them about computers and multimedia in my own ways. But it’s quite difficult to manage things at times as the orphanage has only one old desktop computer which most of the times takes an abnormally long time to download anything and buffering is really a painstaking activity. Using my laptop is also a problem there as all the kids would want to operate it and I can’t afford that as it’s my official laptop.

I was toying with the idea of buying a tab which would be really helpful for my little students and then I discover the Micromax Canvas Tab P666. It’s really the thing which I want. Powered by the Intel Atom Processor which provides a lightening fast speed and seamless buffering. It’s a cool device for multitasking also. With 3G Connection, I can make my students aware of so many things. Well, my first new year resolution is to re-discover my passion for teaching with this Micromax P666. It’s easy to handle and those poor, little kids will find it quite attractive when I will show them the front 2 MP and rear 5 MP camera. It’s not only a resolution but I take it as my passion to make those kids acquainted with the vibrating world of internet. I’ll definitely discover a ‘new me’…a teacher and a guide.

This tab also  has rekindled one of my long lost hobby of watching movies. There was a time when I used to be a movie buff. Be it Tarantino or Kurosawa, Ray or Bergman…. I used to watch anything and everything. Not only classics and parallel films but contemporary commercial ones also. With Micromax P666 tab’s 325 hours stand by time, 6 hours* browsing time and 7 hours video playback along with Wi-Fi connectivity, I think my second resolution for the year 2015 is to watch as many movies as possible! A 20.32 cms IPS screen would provide a wonderful watching experience on the tab. Be it anywhere, cab, office or cafe.

Thanks to Micromax Canvas P666 for helping me to sort out my New Year resolution. Hope with the help of the tab I would be able to say that I’ve succeeded to hold fast to my resolutions.

To know more about the tab, click HERE

Have a look at this video to know more about the tab.

This post is written as an entry for the Indi Happy Hour Campaign “Canvas P666 CAN Discover a New You” in association with Micromax Canvas Tab P666 and Indiblogger

Pre-marital Sex, My Point of View

 

Premarital sex is a profanity to most of us. It is even considered as blasphemous. Many times people say that it’s quite right to wait for sex until marriage. It’s a sign of wisdom and maturity and self-respect. I agree with that. But I oppose to the undertone that those who engage themselves in premarital sex are immature, unwise and don’t have self-respect. Everybody has his own opinion and choice about this and only for the reason that your choice and decision are in discordance with that of mine doesn’t make you inferior or superior.

Let us discuss some points to make my views clearer to you. The first and foremost question which rise in our minds about premarital sex is morality.

Is premarital sex moral or ethical? 

Morality though has an entwined relation with ethics, both are not exactly the same. People have strong age-old beliefs about right and wrong. Though these may vary from person to person or country to country but the basics are same. In this case it is actually the factor to choose between having premarital sex or not. Does it look inviting to you? These days many films and serials are delivering the message that there’s nothing wrong to it. Liberalization is in the air. My point is, if you find it in accordance to your inner voice or conscience, go for it. But don’t succumb to lust to obtain momentary pleasure from sex. Because that will make you unhappy and repentant at the end of the day. If you love your partner and want to express that love by physical intimacy from your deep heart’s core, if both of you are equally willing to establish that physical relation, there’s nothing wrong in it. After all, love is a divine feeling and sex between two persons very much in love is the most beautiful and natural thing.

Is premarital sex safe for everyone? physically and emotionally? 

This is another vital point and needs clarification. It goes without saying that whether premarital or marital, having sex is not safe for children. A legal age limit is there in our country (18 years) and that should be obeyed. In case of adults, having safe and protected sex is very much important. To make my point clearer, premarital sex is not synonymous to casual sex relation or one-night-stand. Those are not germane to my discussion because I find those relations without any string. They are not ultimate culmination of love but mere lust and desire.

Emotionally speaking, as I’ve already said, you should be clear to your morality and conscience. Enslaving yourself to your momentary desire can be disastrous and may result in guilt, embarrassment, tension and mental pressure. Sex has so much effect on our emotions and it is wise to ponder over your decision before making the final choice.

Premarital sex and Indian culture 

It is a general and widely accepted view that the concept of premarital sex is largely an effect of Western culture. But our epics and mythology have numerous examples of premarital sex. According to Hindu scriptures the five most revered women called Pancha Kanya or Mahasatis (Sati means righteous women) are Ahalya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara and Mondodari. But surprisingly enough, from a puritanical standpoint none of them can be considered as ‘good’ women and they do had premarital or extramarital sex relationship and multiple coital partners. Our ancestors were wise enough to understand the eternal relationship of love and sex. They never insist to give extra-priority on sex. It was a natural instinct for them, a part of life.

A Sanskrit ‘shloka‘ goes as follows:

Ahalya Draupadi Kunti Tara Mandodari tatha
panchakanya svaranityam mahapataka nashaka

“Remembering the five greatest virgins 
Ahalya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara and Mandodari
Destroys the greatest sins.”

The wonderful erotic sculptures of the temples of Khajuraho and Konark also echo the same truths, that sex is eternal and natural when there is love. Whether it’s premarital or not was not the issue, at least in those days.

The ‘tantric’ cult is one step ahead on this. It explores the possibility of achieving God through sex, establishing the connection between sex and spirituality.

So, premarital sex is not an occidental thing.

Having all said and discussed I would like to sum up my views in this way, that, having premarital sex or not doesn’t make you a bad or good human being.  It’s more important that whether you’re in love with that person while having sex. Whether you’ve mutual trust and respect for the relationship. Respecting and loving your partner is the vital part of any healthy relationship and in any circumstances sexual relation should NOT be created against someone’s will. The difference between LOVE and LUST is subtle and we must learn to recognize TRUE LOVE. It’s important to  transcend truthfully from lust to love, to find one’s true love. I consider loveless sex, be it marital or premarital, monstrous and immoral.

Last but not the least, Poonaam Uppal and her journey from ‘Designer to Divine’ is an enthralling story and a passionate gospel of true love which she has wonderfully penned in her book A Passionaate Gospel of True Love. I’m thankful to her for giving us a chance to express our views on this controversial and debatable topic. Waiting eagerly to go through her book.

 

~Poonam Uppal~

 

This post is written as an entry for the contest Yes or No to Pre-marital Sex in association with Poonaam Uppal’s True Love- A Passionaate Gospel of Love Story and Indiblogger

I Won Over My Fear

Acting is my passion. No, I’m not an actor but that doesn’t refrain me to imitate well-known actors in front of the mirror and trust me, I sometimes even excel them in the art of acting. The only problem is no one ever has understood this ingenious quality of mine and I find it beyond my dignity to shout around announcing by excellence.
However, God is there to answer at least some of our prayers and finally he bestowed me an opportunity. The recreation wing of our office arranged to stage a play named “The Groom’s Plight” and I was selected to act in the role of the groom’s friend who had an important part to play in the comedy.

It was indeed a great feeling for me. I was overwhelmed and was working hard with the role. It was not as easy as a thing as I thought it to be. After the usual office-hours we used to gather for the rehearsal. Remembering the dialogues was a big deal, had to learn them by heart. Timing being a crucial factor in dramas, we had to remember our every move and even minor gestures.

The auspicious day was just a week away and we were working hard. An aura of excitement and thrill was hovering around and all the actors were busy with their respective roles. I was quite complacent with my preparation and the director himself was of the opinion that I was doing my job really good. The dress rehearsal went well too and we left early that day.

Next day I woke up with a strange feeling. I was happy that finally my dream to perform as an actor was going to be fulfilled in some hours. Still something was haunting me but I failed to fathom that. As I had no time to ponder over it, I took it as my whim and started my preparation for the day.

We were told to reach by 4.30 in the evening and as soon as I enter the make-up room I could feel that strangeness again. The make-up artist started to work on me and it took almost one hour to finish the make-up. The play started exactly at 7.00 pm. My first entry was at the middle of Act II, so I was watching the performance of my fellow actors with great enthusiasm from the backstage.

Then it occurred, again! that strange feeling, and this time I recognized it perfectly! It was actually FEAR! The fear to face so many spectators in the auditorium. The trepidation to act with the spotlights on. I felt myself inadequate ….I wanted to pull back. It seemed I had nothing in my head, it was vacant. I tried to remember my dialogues but not a single word came in my mind. Slowly but surely, I was succumbing to ‘performance anxiety’…the stage fright.

But then a voice spoke from within. “You must gather every bit of your strength to fulfill your dream, don’t make your fear a barrier in the path of your achievement….don’t be afraid of your fear”. It was the voice of my father whom I lost 2 years ago. I whispered to myself,” Yes, I can do it…I must to do it”.

When I entered the stage, I was trembling. But I overcame my fear and concentrated only on my role forgetting everything else. I was as if in a trance which broke with the sound of great applause from the audience. I did it! I faced my fear to win over it. I was totally exhausted but, at the same time, overjoyed.

It was a victory for me in the truest sense. Victory over fear. We all are human beings and to get afraid is a normal human trait. What matters is to rise above that fear to claim success. This advertisement of Mountain Dew tells us the same thing…rise above fear to claim victory. Have a look at Akhil Akkineni and his wonderful film with Mountain Dew. Be inspired to #RiseAboveFear.

 

To know more visit the Facebook page of Mountain Dew.

This post is an entry to the Indi-happy hours #RiseAboveFear  campaign in association with Indiblogger and Mountain Dew