Aamchi Mumbai - The City of Dreams!!

Mumbai, The city of dreams... The city that never sleeps... The city whose 'Never Say Die' spirit runs in the blood of the people who live here... The financial capital of India... The adda of Indian Film Industry 'Bollywood'... The home of Indian Cricket...

I can continue my post in this way and still I won't run out words to describe my beloved city but I'll try to do full justice to Mumbai as half-baked efforts are not something that this city appreciates!!!

Mumbai is named after Goddess Mumba Devi before which it was known as Bombay!! Life in Mumbai starts in the wee hours, when the whole country is sleeping, Mumbaikar's are already up and about, ready to catch the local train which will take them to their place of work or study! The humble 'Local Train' is the lifeline of this great city which connects every citizen to one another! It's a thread that binds all of Mumbai together, the link between the different parts of this huge city. It does not only link the vast city it also links the very hearts of Mumbaikar's, no wonder it's also referred to add the 'Heart of Mumbai'. It is also very well connected with Auto-rickshaws, Kaali Peeli Taxis, BEST Buses and Metro Rail System!!

The food of Mumbai is something that drives it! Literally! In a city where a huge amount of energy is spent on traveling to and fro between two places, there are a lot of hungry souls. People of this city are food mad and the city offers enough variety and choice to satiate everyone. From the delicious Indian burger 'Vada Pav' to the spicy 'Pav Bhaji'... From Bhel Puri to Pani Puri to Samosa, to exquisite high class dining options.. There is something for everyone no matter what your budget or taste!!

Mumbai is a city which is designed to enthrall anyone who lays his out her eyes on it. Take a walk along the Marine Drive for sheet beauty, take the blessings of Lord Ganpati at the famed Siddhivinayak Temple, listen to sufi songs at Haji Ali Dargah, marvel at the architectural wonders of the Gateway of India and the CST Railway Station, watch the kids play a game of cricket at the numerous maidans that dot this cricket crazy city, visit the Prince of Wales Museum or the Hanging Gardens... Or just sit back and relax at the Chowpaty or Girgaum beach and watch the sun set gloriously in the horizon. You will never run out of options in Mumbai, your bucket list of 'Things to Do' will keep on burgeoning until it bursts at its seams!!!

There are so many aspects of this city that I want to talk about, I feel I have barely scratched the surface! There are so many things which are unique to this coastal city of India. It's reverence of its Bollywood superstar's, the 'Tapori Bambaiyya' language, the daily trials and tribulations of its people, the maddening hurry of its people but still them finding the time to help others when needed, the killer traffic, chants of ‘Sachinnnn Sachinnnn’ reverberating through the Wankhede stadium, the Ganpati Festival, etc... The city embraces all with a smile, a reason why it’s also fondly known as ‘Aamchi Mumbai’

All I can say is that it is the best place to live in India, a person who has lived in Mumbai will not like any other city in the whole world. There is Order in Chaos, Symmetry in Disorientation... Something in its humid and sticky air makes the person cling to this magnificent city like a magnet!!!

PS - This Post is Written for the Tata Motors #madeofgreat Zonal War

Choco Chips and Strawberry Ice Cream Sugar Free Milk Shake!!

Part of the secret of a success in life is to eat what you like

 and let the food fight it out inside ~ Mark Twain

Food – It is something that triggers a wave of goodness, joy and happiness coursing through the body and mind, like electricity, when it satiates you completely. It is probably my saviour when I am in a bad mood and I need to elevate my mood, it is my good friend which gives me company when I am happy! In short, we share a very unique relationship, Food and Me, we love each other deeply, madly and truly and have been through many thick and thins but our bond is too strong to be broken by a few stray incidents when we have been at loggerheads with each other for days on ends!

I am a self-proclaimed foodie and though my love for cooking may not be as high as my passion for eating but I still love to get my own hands dirty on some occasions. It is in these moments that I realise that cooking and creating a dish, which, when appreciated, can be such a fulfilling thing in itself! While making the main course can be tiresome and requires some level of expertise, making a dessert is where you can really let your imagination run wild and experiment to your hearts content. Even a novice like me and someone who is short on time can really get in to the thick of things when a dessert is considered.

Now, I love having Milk Shakes after eating like a horse and that makes my stomach feel much lighter and I am filled with a sense of happiness and joy when the sweetness effused in the shake is transferred in to my body!

Here, I will share with you one of my favourite Dessert recipe’s – The Double Trouble (Chocolate Chips and Strawberry Ice Cream) Milk Shake!!!

Main Ingredients:

2 medium scoops of Chocolate Chips Ice Cream.

2 medium scoops of Strawberry Ice Cream.

1 glass unsweetened milk.

2 teaspoons of Sugarfree Natura.

Optional Ingredients (for Garnishing):

1-2 square broken in pieces of any chocolate of your choice (I used Lindt Intense Strawberry and Cadbury’s Bubbly). You can also opt for 2 Fresh Strawberries finely chopped when available.

1 scoop of Chocolate Chips Ice Cream.

1 scoop of Strawberry Ice Cream.

Directions

1. Blend all the main ingredients (2 medium scoops of Chocolate Chips Ice Cream, 2 medium scoops of Strawberry Ice Cream, 1 glass unsweetened milk, 2 teaspoons of Sugarfree Natura) till you achieve a smooth consistency and a thick froth.

2. Fill the Shake in two glasses and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes.

3. Garnish with 1 scoop of Chocolate Chips Ice Cream and 1 scoop of Strawberry Ice Cream.

4. Garnish with broken pieces of Lindt Intense Strawberry and Cadbury’s Silk.

5. Serve Chilled!!

Drool over my Double Trouble and get down to making yours, now!!

Try a Variation!!

You can also play around by first blending only Strawberry Ice Cream scoops with the milk and Sugar Free Natura and filling only half a glass and letting it set in the freezer.

Till this sets, you can blend your Chocolate Chips Ice Cream scoops with the milk and Sugar Free Natura.

You can then pour this over the set Strawberry, garnish as you wish and can enjoy a layered Double Trouble!

I am sure that when you will all try out this Double Trouble and you find that all your troubles are blown away in a jiffy!!

PS - This Post is written for the Sugar Free Dessert Challenge contest being held at Indiblogger.

Redefine Your Smartphone Experience with the ASUS ZenFone 2

Smartphones today hold an important place in our day to day life. We can hardly live without them and they have almost become a part of our own body. It is thus imperative that we choose one that is made for us and one that will give us the maximum pleasure and the ease of use. With new models packed with all the latest and innovative features flooding the market every other day, it has become an arduous task to choose one fitting your bill.

The ASUS ZenFone 2 is about to be launched and I will give below 5 reasons why I think that the ASUS ZenFone 2 could redefine your smartphone experience!

• Luxurious Ultra Thin Ergonomic Arc Design

The first thing that attracts an user towards a new phone is its look and design and this is where the ASUS ZenFone 2 wins the battle hands down. Coupled with killer looks that taper to extremely thin 3.9 mm at the edges for a stunning finish and a luxurious brushed metal finish with the signature concentric circle detailing the ZenFone will give bragging rights to anyone that will flaunt this beauty! It is also available in 5 different colors that you can choose to match your style and up the glam quotient.

• PixelMaster

The 13 MP rear camera is perfect to capture stunning images and the 5 MP front camera with its 85 degree wide arc lens provides for terrific selfies and clear video chats. The low light performance is unbelievably good as the ZenFone, through its latest technology increases the light sensitivity by an astounding 400% to give pictures that will make heads turn. The shutter lag is zero which makes sure that you do not miss anything of importance and everything is caught in real time. The manual controls open up an entirely different horizon and the ZenFone 2 will almost feel like a DSLR in your hands.

• Performance for Today, and Beyond

This phone is packed with an upto 2.3GHz 64-bit intel Atom Z3580 processor and a 4 Gb RAM that will enhance the phone experience by almost 3 times and the gaming experience by 7 times when compared to its predecessor. The Super Quad Core processor enables the apps to open in the blink of an eye, the games to run smoothly and the internet pages to open without any lags.

• BoostMaster

The ASUS BoostMaster technology facilitates super fast charging of your ASUS ZenFone 2 device. The ZenFone 2 battery is charged to almost 60% in 39 minutes! Now that means that you no longer need to worry about constantly charging the phone and can enjoy watching movies or playing games at almost every possible moment when you want to. The high capacity 3000mAh battery means that you can probably go through an entire day without charging the device, thus enabling you to enjoy your phone!

• Incredible SonicMaster Audio

The world renowned ASUS Golden Ear team provides the user with the best audio that a smartphone can offer. The SonicMaster technology delivers a crisp, crystal clear audio that remains unaffected whether you are on headphones or on speakers.

These are the 5 features that I look forward to the most when the ASUS ZenFone 2 will come out. Which of these features appeal to you the most?

Little Things that Make Me Happy!

I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness: a glass of wine, 
a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier, the sound of the sea. Nothing else - 
Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba the Greek

Happiness is indeed a very personal thing, something that depends utterly on our own selves. We are the masters of our own joys and what may provide us with happiness may be the transmitter of sadness for someone else. We may possess all the riches of this world, we may have name and fame that is spread far and wide but if we are not happy, and I do not mean an exterior show of happiness, then all the money, the name and the fame are pretty much futile.

If I had to modify the above quote tailored for me it would be something like this:

I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness: witnessing a stunning sunrise, 
a day spent with friends, a bit of gardening, watching a cricket match lazing on the couch and then blogging about it, spending time with the family, the sound of the sea. Nothing else – DS

Some things that make me happy are:

Watching a Sunrise!!

I am a huge lover of nature and I will do anything to watch a dazzling sunrise. I have woken up at 5 and been on the terrace waiting for the sunrise in the chilly December months. Oh! What joy it is to see the mist slowly rise up and the sun break through the clouds amidst crazy colors that are spread across the huge canvas by God! I also love watching the stars in the night and have spent hours staring at the dark black sky just lost watching them twinkle in the sky.

Watching a Cricket Match!

I am a huge Cricket buff and will do anything to watch a match. I have missed college exams just to sit in the hostel mess and enjoy the match with a bunch of friends, I have taken holidays from my job to watch cricket and like many cricket fans I always have a cricket website open in office or while I am blogging at home.

Blogging!

My love for Cricket, when combined for my love for blogging is pretty much unparalleled! It gives me immense joy and happiness to first do the analysis of an upcoming match and then see how it all unfolds and finally blog about the whole affair. With the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 going on, I have already written almost 70 comprehensive articles on cricket in 45 days and am still going strong!

Reading a Book!

How nice it would be to just spend your day cuddled up in a warm blanket and read your favorite book? I love reading and the characters come alive when I read, I usually become so engrossed in the book that the boundaries between reality and fiction often dissipate into thin air!

Spending Quality Time with Family and Friends!!

I love it when I am at home, spending time with my parents and my sister. Family is something that stands by you in all situations, they are the pillar of strength and the source of inspiration in most of the things that we do and their happiness is the single biggest source of happiness for me. I did my engineering living in a hostel and made some great friends, they are like a second family to me. I love talking to them or going out with them, we talk about anything and everything, share things with each other and seek opinions from each other. Those hostel memories mean a lot to me and bring a smile to my face even on a tough day!

There are so many little things that give us happiness, that bring a smile to our lips, that brighten our day and which give us the strength and vigor to face the world. It is we who must seek our own happiness because it is we who control that and no one else. So, go find your happiness, find what makes you tick and do tell me what makes you smile!!

This post is written for Coca-Cola

Because Together We Can and Together We Will…

‘Because #Together We Can and Together We Will’ This was the motivational tag line between me and 2-3 of my friends who were also my roommates while I was doing my engineering. There were times when we felt down on confidence, when we felt as if the world was against us, when we felt that the forces of nature were conspiring to defeat us. It was in those dark moments, that we would hold each other’s hands and repeat our magical mantra and instantly would feel the negativity around us dissipating in thin air.

I remember an incident very vividly when this little motivational gig of ours had a big influence on the way our engineering life panned out. Engineering exams are laced with poison that every student has to swallow and life often becomes lonely and tedious while studying for those exams which will in all probability, will shape the careers and determine where life will take them in the future. A single blot on the scorecard is frowned upon by prospective employers and the scorecard is supposed to be a mirror of the students’ abilities which is often not a correct reflection of the same.

It was before one such exam, the name of which was enough to strike fear in the heart of students, to paralyze them with dread and terror, EMT which was shortened for Electro Magnetic Field Theory, that I was very low on confidence. The vast nature of the field and the absurdly difficult problems posed by the subject had me all sweating and feeling the heat just the day before the exam. It was not as if I had not studied for the subject but I was not confident at all if I could reproduce the goods in the exam. That was what mattered at the end, everyone remembered and gave importance to the scores not how hard or how many hours one put in to studying.

The night before the exam, as before every exam I and 2 of my roommates went for a short walk around the hostel campus after our dinner. That was the time when studies, at most times took a back seat and we just chatted about frivolous things. My friends knew my anxiety of the upcoming test and decided to give me a nice little pep talk. While we were lying down on the green grass of our lawn, facing the innumerable stars that twinkled without a care in the world, my friends made me look in the direction of the star which was shining the brightest and seemed a little bigger than the rest of them. I tilted my head slightly to get a clear view of that large shining star. My friends said to me that I was like that star and that I would be alright in my exam. They reminded me about how I had done well previously as well when the chips were down, they told me about the time I had topped my CS exam while studying in the jungle all night, they harked about how I was one of the few guys who had passed the very tough Math paper the last year, etc… We often saw shooting stars in the sky when we were lying down facing the night sky and we saw one just as my friends were talking to me. We all became silent for a moment, closed our eyes and as always made a little wish. When we opened our eyes, and looked into one another’s I knew that there was only one wish that they could have yearned for that night.

Just then, as we were getting up, holding on to each other’s hands for support, we said in a chorus ‘Because Together We Can and Together We Will…’ That little time spent with my friends fired me up and approached the exam not with trepidation but with a renewed confidence. I managed to scrape through that test and really had my friends all to thank for as without them, I would surely have been tense and made a hash of things as a result.

Hostel Memories - Story of Optimism about Life!!

The last semester engineering exams are going on and everybody is so excited. The students have spent four long years in a hostel, miles away from families and friends, slogging away day and night to realize the dreams of their parents and to build their own career. Plans are being chalked out every single day, we will do this, we will take a vacation there, we will shout like crazy in a chorus after the last exam, etc… There is a ‘Days to Freedom’ counter that has been set up on the wall of my hostel corridor. The last 31 days are written on the wall and with each passing day one number is stricken off by a member of the hostel with his autograph. The hostel is a mixed bag of emotions; everybody is excited and nervous, sad and anxious, some are confident and assured while some are apprehensive and confused… There is that strange sensation of impending joy and happiness mixed with a tinge of anxiety and sadness which is just around the corner but which is very difficult to put in words.

Only the last two papers remain now. Last 9 days before a new batch of engineers graduate and join the grind of corporate lives. Just a day before the second last exam, a friend and fellow hostelite suffers from what appears a heart attack and dies while on the way to the hospital. Let us call that friend ‘Amar’ because he will always remain alive in our memories and hence is immortal. Amar was a friendly and jovial boy; a little shy and quiet, always ready to help other students in times of their difficulties. He was not spectacular with his grades but he was not a failure either. The whole hostel was in a state of shock and pain. We had lost a friend, a friend with whom we had spent the past four years and someone who was on the cusp of being an engineer. There was speculation that he may have had a bad paper and might be under stress but I had seen Amar for 4 years and he was not the kind to be distressed over fewer marks in a subject.

We did not know how to react to such a loss; I guess none of us had seen death from such close quarters. The hostel which was always buzzing during the exams was silent as a morgue. Almost all of us attended his funeral later that day with tears in our eyes. Yes, we had to study for the exam slated for the next day but that was the last thing on our mind. Sometimes, something’s are just more important than studying for an exam. We tried to comfort his parents but they were inconsolable. His mother cried non-stop and we told her that she may have lost one son that day but she has surely found another 20.

It was over the next 8 days that made me feel so much like a human being. The loss of a fellow student and friend had brought the rest of us closer to each other so much more intimately. We all stood united in the face of adversity and we behaved like mature and responsible people. The boys engineering hostel is a boisterous, raucous and messy place at the best of times. But it was all very quiet in the corridors since that incident. It was decided that the ‘Days to Freedom’ counter would not be updated in the memory of Amar. Where Amar had signed, we wrote messages for him. After the last exam there was no wild celebrations or chantings, loud music which was a norm after each exam was conspicuous by its absence. There was a heaviness hanging around the hostel and the eyes seemed weary. There could not be any victory party after a comrade had been left behind.

It has been more than 8 years since that fateful day but it is still very much clear in my head. It took a death as we students came together, showed solidarity and just the way we conducted ourselves in the face of grief is something that makes me proud even today. There were some heart touching scenes throughout the incident and it filled me with so much hope about our future. The love and emotions that flowed, the moment when we all observed a two minute silence for him after the last exam got over; those moments filled me with optimism about life, about love.

My hostel memories came rushing back recently when Phil Hughes died after being stuck by a bouncer at SCG. The way the whole cricket fraternity came together was just in a way that we had done. Cricket actually took a back seat and when it resumed it was a better place to be in. When Johnson stuck Kohli flush on the helmet in the first test, he seemed petrified. All the Aussie players seemed genuinely concerned and surrounded Kohli enquiring about his well being. In the normal course of events, they would have sledged him and giggled but death teaches us all so much. Remember Venkatesh Prasad once hitting Ponting on the head down under in the 90’s and rushing to inquire about his health but Ponting had just waved him away with an abuse. Yes, how times change and change for the better. Sometimes, it just takes death to teach us how to live.

Tell us your favourite story of optimism - optimism about life, about love, about the world and its future.

Apno Ko Apne Dum Pe Jeena Sikhao

I was always a naughty child. When I was in school, I would receive 50 Rupees as pocket money for a whole week and whatever money I would receive from my father, I would spend it on buying chocolates and other trivial stuff. I would never save anything and would always be asking my Dad for more money before the week was over. He gave in to my demands and tantrums most of the times but then one day at the start of the month he called me over and told me that he wanted to have a talk with me.

He gave me my 50 Rupees for the week and told me that if I could save 100 Rupees by the end of the month he would buy me my favorite toy or my favorite comic book set. He told me that he wished and hoped that I saved so that he could gift me an item of my choice at the end of the month. I was excited to hear that and gave him a slight nod. I was really skeptical about how I would save that much money as I would spend it either on chocolates or some junk food outside my school or on some new erasers or pencils.

The first week was a disaster as I could not save more than 10 Rs and as the cravings increased the savings further diminished in the second week. I think I had around 15-20 Rs by the end of the second week. I decided to approach my Father to tell him that it would not be possible for me to save the 100 Rs by the end of the month. Later that night, I and my Father sat down together to have a chat and I narrated to him my worries. He asked me where I had spent my money and on what day. I had no answer. He told me to always keep a tab on your spending so that I can know if I am spending my money the correct way and can cut out something which is not required. He suggested that I keep a diary in which I write all the spending that I make through the week. He also gave me a simple solution that in order to save Rs 100 in a month I needed to save 25 Rs per week on an average. He advised me to not spend more than 25 Rs every week unless absolutely necessary and that way I will easily meet my target of 100 Rs.

I heeded the suggestions of my Father and made a diary in which I wrote down my daily expenditures. I also started to plan what things I would spend on, a week in advance. I would make a list of the things that were absolutely necessary to buy and things that could wait a little more. With the help of my Dad, I was transforming slowly. That month I could save only about 50 Rs. And the second month was no better. But my Father kept on egging me and told me that I had it in me to do what I was being told. Slowly, the savings started to increase and in the 4th month I had saved 120 Rs! My happiness knew no bounds and when I disclosed it to my Father he patted my back and told me that he had always believed in me.

He asked me what gift I would like and I told him I will want the Automatic Flying Airplane and he agreed to get me that the next day. He also told me that the challenge will continue as long as I wanted and that I could discontinue anytime. Thinking back to those days, I guess that he knew that I would not back off from a challenge and he succeeded. He opened a bank account in my name and handed me its reins. It transformed me from a spendthrift to a more responsible and self-reliant person. I had saved so much in a year or so that I no longer needed to ask him for any pocket money!!

It is very important how a person manages the money and I would like to thank my Dad for making me a better person in my life by making me self reliable and responsible!

This post is written for Indiblogger Happy Hours.

Get a Better Car with Quikr Nxt

I recently wanted to replace my existing Zen car with something better. That car had served me for over seven years, and although it was still in a good condition, I just wanted to change and upgrade to a better and newer car. A friend of mine suggested to me to use Quikr as I can put my Zen car on sale and can at the same time look out for a car of my choice there as well.

I immediately put up an ad on Quikr regarding my car where I posted the description and all the necessary details of the car. I also put up my telephone number and e-mail id so that the prospective buyers could contact me. But over the next few days I complained to my pal that most of the calls were prank calls and that I was often disturbed by calls in office or late at night. I also told him that I was finding it very difficult to keep a track of all the talks that I was having with various people. I also told me that I had tried reaching out to a few sellers of the car that I was intending to buy but was facing similar difficulties.

He then asked me to use the Quikr Nxt feature which he told me was a latest feature to be initiated by Quikr. He explained to me that the feature aims at reducing the prank calls and the calls received at inconvenient times and also allows keeping a record of all the conversations that one has with different buyers and sellers. The feature allows one to keep the phone number and e-mail id in private mode and Quikr Nxt can be used to chat with prospective buyers and sellers at times that are mutually convenient to both parties. It can be used either on the desktop or on a smart phone by downloading the app.

The Quikr Nxt feature also keeps a track of all the chats that you have thus reducing the headache of what you said to whom and you can access the log history at any time for a handy reference. The real time chatting is also a quick (in keeping with the name Quikr!!) way when compared to the long drawn process of sending e-mails too and forth.

I notified my friend that I found the feature very good as I could request the sellers to show the car from a certain angle or to upload a small video of the car from the inside so that I can gauge the condition of the car and not regret later. It also made my job of selling the old car easier as I had shown the uploaded pictures of my car and that way had found many interested parties.

Within a week of using the Quikr feature I had succeeded in getting a second hand car which looked as good as a new one and at the same time had got a very good price on my old car as well. I was very happy and was now suggesting others to try the Quikr Nxt feature as well.

This post is written for Indiblogger Happy Hours.

My 5 Point Bucket List if I was #BefikarUmarBhar

The modern human being is hounded by stress, is plagued by never ending deadlines and assignments and is constantly running a maddening race with his peers and thus has little time for himself or his family. He spends all of his life worrying about the future and is never able to do what he truly loves. Here is my bucket list that I would do if I was #BefikarUmarBhar

1. Follow Cricket Matches, Anytime Anywhere

I love cricket and it is a game that is in my blood. I love watching cricket matches live and I have had my fair share of having to give ludicrous excuses to my teachers while I was in school or college just to watch cricket. But now, with the boss constantly breathing down my neck it is not possible to take unwarranted leaves to indulge in something that I love. It frustrates me to go to the office when I could be lazing around on my couch with the remote in my hand watching a tense cricket match.

2. Travel around the World

Travelling is also something that I absolutely love but again am not able to get leaves from office. Watching cricket on TV is good but nothing beats watching them live from the ground. The atmosphere and the liveliness that is encountered at the ground are second to none. I have often dreamed of travelling to England or New Zealand or to the Caribbean Islands to watch cricket matches at cricket grounds. How I wish I could just fly to watch the World Cup 2015, which would be like instant satisfaction with two of my interests being satiated at once – Cricket and Travel!!

3. Be my own Boss!

I have always wanted to start my own company, however small it may be. It always kills me to work for somebody else and I would love to be an entrepreneur some day. But the loss of steady income that comes with a job is something that stops me from pursuing my dream. I wish I had talked about this with my friends while we were still in college, maybe this dream could have been a reality by now. But even now my heart pines for the day when I will be my own boss.

4. Do a bit of Gardening

Gardening is something that I have loved since I was a kid. I remember buying pots and trying to grow different types of vegetables and fruits and flowers in them. I still remember the joy when I had been successful in having a mint plant in my pot. The aroma of fresh mint right in my house delighted me! But as time went by and my time became divided in other things I slowly drifted away from this passion of mine. I would love to rekindle the craze for gardening that I once had, to sit down with pots and seeds and just have fun!

5. Spend more time with Family and Friends

Well, what is life without family and friends? It is your family only that stands by you when you need support and love. They are the ones who are always there for you, no matter what the situation. I have lived in an engineering hostel for 4 years and have some remarkable friends with whom I would love to spend more time, travel with them and just sit down and gossip and remember the old days spent years ago. It would be amazing if I could spend more time with my family and also my friends!

PS - This is a Happy Hour Post for IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co. Ltd.

Watch this ad to know more about how you can spend your life without any worries!

3 Advantages of Quikr Nxt - The Latest Feature from Quikr!

The online classifieds Indian giant, Quikr, launched a very exciting feature recently; Quickr Nxt which enables a user to chat using either the desktop website or by using the Quickr mobile app. The ads, which were also launched just a few days back, give us a glimpse about why this first instant messaging system in the world of classifieds has the potential to be a real game changer. The main worries that it aims at dissipating are mainly related to being attacked by calls at inconvenient times, addresses the concerns centering around fake/ prank calls and keeping a record of all the chats that take place between buyers and sellers.

I will enlist below the 3 main reasons why I would prefer a chat using the latest Quickr Nxt feature rather a long drawn tedious phone call.

1. Privacy

Not every one of us is comfortable with splashing our mobile numbers and e-mail ids over the internet and rightly so. Sharing the phone number openly makes us vulnerable to prank calls which can leave a sour taste in our mouth. With the launch of Quickr Nxt, the need to flash mobile number and e-mail id on the website is eliminated. They can be set as private and give the user the ease of chatting using their Quickr id and then using the Quickr Nxt to chat either on the website or on the phone by using the app.

2. Ease of Tracking

Imagine having to remember what price you quoted to each prospective buyer, which would be nigh on impossible as most sellers are bombarded with multiple requests from different buyers. Up until now this is was a nightmare as there was no log of what you said to whom, thus making things complicated and the simple task of buying and selling things became a headache. With Quickr Nxt, the need to memorize what you said to whom would be done away with as the chat history of Quickr Nxt keeps the log of the manifold conversations between sellers and potential buyers. It is also real time chatting which is highly time efficient as compared to e-mails which can get very long drawn and tedious.

3. Advantage Seller. Advantage Buyer!

We know how difficult it is to convince someone else about the condition of the product that we are intending to sell. The seller is constantly requested to share details about the product. There are questions posed and then some more. Quickr Nxt is advantageous to sellers as they can easily take photos and share instantly via the Quickr Nxt thus making lives so much easier for them. For the buyers, it reduces the risk factor as they can ask the seller to upload pictures from a certain angle or upload a video to be absolutely sure of the condition of the product.

With the advantages listed above I think that Quikr has scored a big plus as the user satisfaction is a big concern for all e-commerce websites and with Quikr Nxt their users will certainly feel more empowered.

This post is written for Indiblogger Happy Hours.

ASUS EeeBook X205TA vs ASUS All in one PC ET2040

I presently use a bulky laptop which makes it extremely difficult for me to lug it around when I am going on official tours or when I am travelling in general. And the smart phones can only do so much at one time; it can never replace a laptop. The size of gadgets is becoming smaller with each passing day and companies are launching newer products almost every second month. I still remember how my ex-boss used to narrate tales from his time when the CPU was as big as 4 feet and required almost half an hour to just start!!

I was just surfing the internet to find myself a new smaller, sleeker and shinier laptop which would fulfill all my needs as a cricket blogger. I narrowed down on two choices – The Sleek and Powerful ASUS EeeBook X205TA or the Ultra-Portable and Perpetually connected ASUS All In One PC ET2040

Both of them have some eye catching features which influenced me and I will write them down below so as to make up my mind about these products.

ASUS EeeBook X205TA

• This is extremely light and does not burn a hole in your pockets but is packed with some eye popping features to woo you.

• The quad-core, 1.33GHz Atom Z3735F processor inside the X205TA is from Intel's new Bay Trail-T range

• Unbelievably Compact and Lightweight (weighs just around 980 gms!!)

• A Sleek Design with Smooth Curves and Rounded Curves

• Fanless Design so that I can work in complete peace

• 2 cell battery so that I can work for around 12 hours without any interruptions!

• A large touchpad which is extra sensitive and is integrated with Smart Gesture Technology

• Chiclet keyboard for easy typing

• The front facing speakers deliver the finest sound

All these features caught my eye and made me shortlist this mean machine!

ASUS ALL IN ONE PC ET2040

• This All in One PC is unbelievably slim and stylish (19.5-inch LED-backlit screen)

• No fear of losing my work in case of electrical failure as this keeps operating for 1 full hour automatically

• It features a beautifully-crisp 19.5-inch HD widescreen display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, with an LED backlight (this is perfect for watching movies and playing games)

• Comes with Advanced Hand-Gesture Recognition Software (HGRS) that uses the built-in camera to accurately interpret movements. Thus it can play songs or videos, adjust player settings, or zoom and rotate photos — all from a distance, without me ever touching a screen, keyboard or mouse

• Built-in stereo speakers powered by ASUS SonicMaster technology

• 3 Superspeed USB 3.0 ports it can recharge my smartphone, tablets or other USB devices up to 50% faster than with USB 2.0, and transfer data between devices up to 10 times faster

The above features are proving to be a big headache in me deciding which one I should opt for. I am thinking to opt for the ASUS EeeBook X205TA given my lifestyle but maybe you can help me decide better!!

This post is written for Indiblogger Happy Hours

The Biggest Fear of an Engineering Student and Rising above it!!

Engineering Exams. The mere mention strikes fear in the hearts of students. Actually fear is a small word, the correct word for engineering exams are monsters, striking terror and horror in the students. I completed my engineering from a college which was affiliated to the Mumbai University but was situated 400 kms from the mega city itself. I had never lived away from my parents, I had no clue what hostel life is all about. Then there was the small case of dealing with living in the constant fear of the upcoming semester exams. In the previous batch only 1, yes ONLY 1 student had managed to clear all exams in the first attempt. Fear was a constant as the exam dates were announced and those fat reference books were still gathering dust on our study tables.

With just a month remaining for the first semester exams to begin, most of the students were already burning the mid-night oil. I knew I had to do something as I was completely blank and had not started my preparations yet. My room mates were in the same situation. I was beginning to wonder if I had made the right decision by selecting engineering as my career option. I had never failed in my life, ever. But engineering exams were scaring me, mocking me as day after day passed without me making any significant breakthrough through my course.

With 20 odd days remaining, I made a call. I made a timetable - a to do list for myself. This was the thing I had done for all my 12 years in school. There were 5 subjects in total and I gave each subject 4 days, it looked impossible to cram so much in so few a days but a start had to be made.

With steely determination and a bit of apprehension I was ready to go. The first few days were difficult as I hardly took my eyes off my books. I managed to take an evening walk daily after my dinner to get some fresh air even with my break-my-back schedule. Nights were hell as it was cold but I did not want to fail, how would I say to my parents that the son in whom they had trusted so much had failed. I slept for only a couple of hours for each of those 20 odd days. I was beginning to feel a bit confident by the time the exams started but I knew that it would be touch and go.

I still remember when I sat down for the first engineering exam, the moment I saw that question paper, a chill ran down my spine, I could feel a bead of sweat form on the back of my neck. The paper was tough beyond my wildest imaginations. But I could not give up at so late a moment. I started writing down whatever I knew, I wrote half answers, drew diagrams as much as I knew. The rest of the exams were no different, I realized by the end of my exams that no one can say with confidence that he or she is fully prepared for these monstrous engineering exams.

The results would be declared after about a month and now there was nothing I could do but wait for those results to be announced on the college notice board. The day finally arrived, the news of the results being displayed spread like wild fire in our hostel. While I made my way towards the college slowly dragging my feet with a silent prayer on my lips, I saw some students returning with a frown on their faces. No words were exchanged as the results were writ large on their faces.

I reached there and glanced through the results, I witnessed a miracle. I had passed all the 5 subjects. Yes, I had not topped any of them but I had not failed. There was a time when I would be disappointed after scoring a 90 during my school days, on that day I had scored 42 and had a big smile on my face. I lingered around the notice board for a long time, most of the students had returned to their rooms long back. Only a few students remained, they had all passed all the subjects in the first attempt like me. We were only 9 who had done that, I remember us all hugging each other like we had scaled the Mt. Everest - actually we had if the circumstances were taken into the account.

The engineering exams always struck fear through the remaining 4 years, but I was more confident about taking them head on, I had pledged to be better prepared from the next time and the moment of triumph came when I scored a distinction in my final year, the joy on my face was priceless.

My Dream Vacation Homes with Airbnb!!

I read so much about Airbnb over the last one year while casually surfing the web but never really thought that I would be writing about it one day myself, until I came across a Happy Hour Contest being hosted on Indiblogger when I decided to give this a shot.

Well, let me tell you a little bit about Airbnb first. Founded in August of 2008 and based in San Francisco it is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book distinctive accommodations around the world, in more than 34,000 cities and 190+ countries.

Browsing the Airbnb website is a feast for any travel lover, the range of accommodation they provide is unique and really some of them, like staying in a watchtower or a yurt or a castle while vacationing is a dream that many of us have dream't of!!

Without taking any of your further time let me show you my 5 dream vacation homes that I think would make you book them immediately (use my referral link so that you get Rs 1545 off on your booking!!)

My 5 Dream Properties on Airbnb

• Stay in a Windmill - Croxton, Staffordshire, United Kingdom

Staying in a windmill, I mean really this must be so much fun!! Located on the 4th floor of the Windmill, an exclusive building, with superb views over the fields to far-away hills.

• Stay on a Private Island with a Cottage Retreat - East Hancock, ME, United States

How about having a private island all for yourself for a couple of days? If tranquility and serenity is what your heart’s desire, consider staying on Eagle Island. This is a spot that will fill your spirit, soothe your soul, clear your mind, allow your body to let go!

• Stay at the Jack Sparrow House - Cornwall Helston, England, United Kingdom

Jack Sparrow House, the name is enough to rouse interest, the design of the house does the rest!! Relax and Unwind on a cabin holiday with all-encompassing sea and countryside views, the cabin lodging offers a snug and unique holiday adventure.

• Stay at an Original old Afgani Yurt - Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany

Arabian Nights fan anyone? Then try the original Afghani yurt. It is for for those who want to spend a night differently.

• Stay in an ancient British Castle - Kirkby Stephen, United Kingdom

All the photos used in the post have been taken from the Airbnb webiste.

Who has not dream't of living in a castle one day like a king? If you have then this castle is just for you. Built in 1841 as a Victorian gentlemen's folly, this castle is now a real family home with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Set in 15 acres of grounds in a rural setting the castle is best visited with a car. On the edge of the Yorkshire Dales and less than an hour from the center of the Lake District. This is a great place to explore Northern England.

Well all the above Vacation Homes are in my Airbnb Wish List for the most interesting accommodations, though I am sure that there are so many more that are worth a mention!! Do go through the Airbnb website and tell me your dream vacation homes!! And if you book, then do not forget to use my referral link after you sign up and save yourself some cash! - https://www.airbnb.co.in/c/dshah61?s=8

The Late Mid-Night Fiasco

‘Aarghh!!! What was that??’ Jiten screeched in the dead of the night, flicking on the lights at the same time.

He lay on his cot just near the door, a half tattered blanket barely covering him. He scrambled for his spectacles which lay somewhere near his pillow and adjusted them furiously on his now-wide open eyes! In the meantime, Amish who slept on the ground besides Jiten’s cot and myself were also half-sitting, half-slouching on our bedding’s, shooting curious glances at each other.

‘It was surely a crab’ Jiten spoke again, his eyes shuttling between the toe of his leg and all around his cot, under the blanket as also under his flimsy pillow.

‘It can’t be a crab!! It must be a frog! There are so many out here!’ I said, to which Amish just nodded halfheartedly, letting out a disgusting yawn at the same time. ‘Does a frog bite so hard? See my toe; the skin has been peeled off!! There is a small puncture too!’ Jiten retorted.

‘Whatever it was, let us sleep now! We can search for it tomorrow morning!’ Ajit bellowed, the frustration quite palpable in his quivering voice. Ajit was a giant, who got angry easily and someone who was very serious most of the times. Even we, his room-mates, rarely messed with him! He laid at an angle of 90 degrees, in the space between the cupboard and us, his head starting at my bedding and his legs splaying near Amish’s head!!

But Jiten had already decided that he was not going to let whatever it was, to stay in our room any longer. He had already launched the search operation in the room and as if on cue, I and Amish too looked under our sheets and shot glances here and there trying to spot the mischief monger. Ajit had already resumed his snoring after giving his verdict which he must have considered was set in stone!! After a futile search lasting few minutes, Jiten mustered some courage and began to ruffle around Ajit but was given such a terrorizing look that he immediately abandoned any further search in his perimeter!

Finding nothing, we all went to sleep again as Jiten finally switched the lights off.

10-15 minutes later

A shrill cry broke the momentary calm and Jiten put the lights on again.

Jiten looked surprised by what he saw, but at the same time had an I-told-you-so look writ large on his face. I and Amish were almost on the verge of having peals of laughter but we somehow managed to rein ourselves in. We saw a bewildered Ajit crouching on the arm-rest of the solitary plastic chair which lay next to the computer table and near the cupboard. I saw fear in his blood shot eyes. His bald head shone with thick beads of sweat giving him the look of a treacherous fugitive. Never before had I seen Ajit like that, he looked meek and petrified.

I, for a fleeting moment, imagined what would happen if the fragile arm-rest (it had already bent dangerously) gave in under his weight, a slight smile beginning to form around my mouth at the thought! Amish gave me a questioning look as he must have caught my smile and he whispered in my ears, ‘Ajit will bury you alive if you have any hand in this!!’ I sobered up quickly, put on a straight face and replied, ‘No yaar, I am not that mad to put my hand in a lion's lair!’ Amish did not seem entirely satisfied by my answer and stated in no uncertain words, ‘That if I had anything to do with this, then that was certain to cause further mayhem and certainly elongate the late mid night drama that was playing out at 2.45 am in our hostel room!!’

‘S… S… Some... Something just crawled right over my legs. I… I think it’s a snake!’ Ajit managed to croak, looking more and more like a hapless frog that might have sensed the presence of a dangerous black cobra in its vicinity.

At the very mention of a snake, both I and Amish got up with a start and jumped on Jiten’s cot as that was the only high ground available in our room, apart from the chair which was already occupied!!

‘I told you there is something in this room but you would have none of it’ Jiten almost shouted at Ajit, even as he came down from his cot and walked over towards Ajit’s bedding. Jiten was quite a fearless character and he had obviously decided to put an end to this nonsense as early as possible.

On higher ground and feeling relatively safe, I and Amish were almost choking on our laughter looking at how Ajit was perched up precariously on the arm rest of the chair!! I told him, perhaps a bit too loudly, ‘Ever seen a lion scared by a snake?’ ‘Witnessing it live, right now’ pat came the reply from Amish! If Ajit heard the comment, he ignored it.

Suddenly, Ajit shouted, ‘There is something under the cupboard!! I think I saw a shadow move!’ 

All the eight eyes were now transfixed under the cupboard. But it was so dark underneath that we failed to spot anything there. The solitary tube-light in our room flickered for a moment, adding to the tension and perhaps enjoying the bird’s eye view it commanded from the high ceiling.

Jiten picked up Ajit’s pillow which was lying nearby and swept the space under the cupboard. On any other day Ajit would have eaten him raw for such a horrific crime but today he was silent, watching intently!!

We heard a squeak and a small rat bolt out from under the cupboard and before we could make head or tail of it, scuttled out of our room from the narrow opening near the base of our wooden door.

Jiten tried giving a chase and locate its hideout but by the time we opened the door, it had already disappeared into the darkness of our hostel corridor. We immediately sealed the slit in the door with thick cardboard and reinforced it with cello-tape.

Discussing the event, we all had a nice laugh about it. Even Ajit, the Mr Serious, managed a wry grin and laughed at his own behavior!! Even though Ajit always accuses us of exaggeration, but to this day he drops his guard, loses his seriousness, and laughs unconditionally whenever we reminisce that night again, knowing fully well that what we say is the truth!!

PS – This is a true story which happened during my engineering days and all the characters are real. The names have been changed.

PPS – If you like the post and are on Indiblogger, then vote for it on Indivine here - http://www.indiblogger.in/indipost.php?post=329385

A Whiff of Nostalgia - My Smelly to Smiley Contest Post

The sense of smell has to be the most complex and indeed the most powerful of all human senses. While a particular smell can be pleasant to some, the same smell can be utterly disgusting to others and yet at the same time it might not even be detected by a third person!

Our brain remembers every smell we encounter, storing them all in some unrecognizable dark corner of its vast expanses, and we are instantly reminded of our experiences associated with the particular smell as soon as we bump into it again, sometimes after many long years. Nearly everyone has had experiences wherein a faint smell somewhere has triggered a wave of nostalgic memories hitting them like a tsunami.

So when I read about this particular contest on ‘Indiblogger’ which is sponsored by ‘Ambi Pur - a brand dealing with air freshners’, I was instantly transported to my childhood days. All those fragrances came rushing back, the good and bad memories allied with them, making me all nostalgic about the good old days.

A Normal Day

The mornings would be full of that flowery fragrance as Grandma would bring an assortment of flowers from the nearby garden which would be offered to the Gods. No sooner did the golden dust began its dance in the first rays of the sun, the gentle early morning breeze would fill up my nostrils with the aroma of hot ginger-basil tea brewing headily in our kitchen. The balmy scent of shoe polish on my black leather shoes often reminds me of my daily drudgery while I was in school. Today, when I apply my latest aftershave, I instantly remember that whiff of Old Spice Cologne that my Father would use when I was a kid.

Interestingly and perhaps a bit surprisingly, my memory fails to serve up any special recollections relating to odour during the 6 odd hours that I spent in the school. Perhaps I was too busy enjoying with my friends to take any notice of smells around me because one thing that I am sure about, is that I was not busy studying!! But luckily for me the contest asks for ‘nostalgic memories you associate with different smells or fragrances in your home’. Anyways I do remember one particular smell from my school days which I will share later on.

Afternoons were spent watching TV or doing homework or catching up on some sleep. Evenings were reserved for playing cricket and I remember how sweaty everyone would smell after running around for 2-3 hours continuously. After returning home, I would take a bath and get fresh and have my dinner. Then was the time for some more TV or homework depending on various multiple factors which I do not desire to dwell into in any great detail. There was this rule where we had to have a glass of hot milk just before retiring for the day and I remember that smell of milk very well. Just like every other kid, I used to hate it! I still detest it but now I have turmeric milk every night which, well, does not smell bad and at the same time is very good for health!!

Summers

The nearly 2 month long summer vacation was like a boon from heaven for kids from my generation. This was our little window where we were free from books and school and homework (there were no tuition classes during the vacations nor were we enrolled in various other classes like the kids of today and schools would not give homework to complete during the vacations) and were free to spend our time as we wished. How well I remember that giddy concoction of bodily stinks when 10 sweaty, sticky kids would simultaneously hug one another affectionately after winning a game of gully cricket from a seemingly hopeless position!!!

Summer vacations would also mean trips to places where we had never been before. I remember the smell of the cool mountainous breeze with lofty peaks and gently flowing rivers completing our surroundings as also the smell of the salty sea air by the sea-side with the growling ocean and the palm trees providing the perfect setting for the most riveting sunset!

One aroma which I absolutely worship is what ensues when cold curd is poured on hot steaming rice! I used to have curd-rice almost daily during the summer season and this was one smell which I eagerly awaited each day.

Rains

That earthy smell when the first rain drops gently kiss the earth. Who does not have memories associated with that moment, memories where, the first rain drop of the year would cause a commotion in the building with kids scampering out in the open to get drenched, later playing a game of cricket in the rain!! But unfortunately that pleasant scent of ‘parched-mud-soaking-in-water’ would be short lived as the stench from the garbage dump nearby was enough to make one nauseous. Now there is ‘Ambi Pur - Meadow and Rain’ to make sure that the wet mud smell remains with you long after the first rains have arrived!!

Winters

I do not remember any particular scent from the winters, but, in general, the air smelt much better in winter then what it did in the summers! The crisp and the cool morning air was something that I loved taking in, it was so stimulating!

Festivals/ Special Occasions

India is known as the land of festivals and the sights and smells are undeniably something that lingers on with you for a long time. The memories of these festivals, the different unique smells associated with each of them are enough to send my mind into a spiral.

I fondly remember Diwali for the mélange of odours that it presented – from the sickly sweet aroma of the kheer topped with pistachios and saffron, to the fumy, suffocating air from all the burnt fireworks, to the aromatic fragrance of the various flowers used for decorating the house, to the earthly smell of the mud diyas, to the smell of love and affection that was showered on kids. Everyone seemed happy, everyone had a smile on the face, everyone would welcome you warmly… that world was not such a bad place to live in after all!!

I get all nostalgic during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival each year reminiscing about the smell of Modaks which would fill the atmosphere in Mumbai.

The aroma of the sugary sweet Jalebis and the savory Fafdas served along with the raw pineapple and besan chutney would make me impatient while standing in the queue of the sweetmeat shop as I awaited my turn on the Dusshera day!!

Remember I talked about that one lingering fragrance from my school days? The aroma of the black fruitcake filled with raisins and fruits and nuts still hangs around in the air - one that I savored on the Christmas Day for 12 straight years, making me remember my school days warmheartedly.

My birthday meant that I could ask for my favorite dish to be prepared and my Mother would happily oblige. That particular dish was, more often than not, almost always – Pav Bhaji! My mind easily transports me to those days when the house would be filled with the smell of that aromatic, pungent and spicy bhaji… that huge dollop of butter melting away happily on top of it making it smell all the more addictive!! Nothing beats that remarkable whiff of home-made Pav Bhaji, yes; my mother is the best cook in the world!!

Miscellaneous

There are so many more smells dawdling around in my home today that make me nostalgic about my childhood days – the smell of the tadka as the cumin seeds would crackle in the hot ghee filling the air with a nutty flavor and then the addition of asafoetida would make the air turn heady and finally the addition of curry leaves would complete what would be a pretty intricate odour, the fragrance of incense, the minty aroma of fresh pudinah chutney which my Grandmother would grind with a small cylindrical stone on a larger flat stone (the entire apparatus known as Shil Lodi), the delicate scent of the Jasmine gajra which my mother would sometimes wear, the fragrance of mehndi during festivals, etc

Writing for this contest made me realize how much the smells around us influence us. They have the power to make us happy and to make us sad. Every smell has stories waiting to be told and memories waiting to be kindled. So what is your story and what are your memories? Share them!!

This post is my entry for the Smelly to Smiley! Contest held on Indiblogger and sponsored by Ambi Pur. If you like my post please do vote for it here.