I'm Glad, we were Wrong! :)

India, Incredible Indeed!! :)

(Click on image to Enlarge)

Photo Source: http://www.weareholidays.co.in/articles/arts-and-culture/3-incredibles-incredible-india/

In the first week of October'13, while working at Sainsbury's, during our lunch break one of my colleagues, a 40 year old British woman mentioned to us about her upcoming trip to south east Asian countries with her husband and children. She asked me and our other Indian colleagues about interesting places to visit in India, we made a long list of wonderful places and gave it to her. Along with that, we had an even longer list of 'things-not-to-do' and precautions for safety while travelling in India. 

We told her about the ghastly incident in Delhi last year where an innocent girl was brutally raped and murdered and thrown out of a bus and the incident brought bad reputation that India is not a safe country for women to live or travel to.

She was back to work today and she got lovely gifts for all of us from India :) 

She said, "I followed the first list you've given me but the second list wasn't necessary at all, India is an amazing country, people are so caring, warm hearted, everything is so colourful, lively, honking, tuk tuks, we loved each and every day of our stay - lots of sunshine, lush greenery of Kerala,  beaches in Goa, the pink city Jaipur, the majestic Taj Mahal, the golden temple in Amritsar, etc - they were all absolutely fantastic places and the food was delicious".

"Thailand and Singapore were good too, but the hospitality we received in India was unmatched, India is simply the best. We loved the place, people and food so much, we didn't feel like coming back. I'm sure we'll plan for a holiday in India again after a few years. Such beauty everywhere - we took over a thousand photos in India alone, I would definitely recommend my friends to travel there".

She even learnt some Hindi words, "Namaste, aap kaise hain, main theek hoon". 

Foreign tourists enjoy at a moustache competition at the annual fair in Rajasthan.

Photo Source: www.deccanchronicle.com/121127/news-current-affairs/gallery/24-hours-pictures

She laughed as she said, "You guys scared me, created a fear in my mind, I was like so worried, I told my husband about all that you have cautioned me - the rapes, violence against women, etc. And he said, 'Don't worry, we can cut short our trip if we sense any trouble'. But we were surprised to get such warm welcome everywhere we went, your country is nothing like what you said - men there are just like you guys - they are polite, humble, respectful and helpful."

She confidently said, "Indians all through the country from South to North were very friendly to us - so, don't let one or two bad incidents define your country. Don't trust everything that media tells you, some news are biased".

And that comes from a British woman who travelled across India earlier this month - for the first time in her life with her family.

Hearing that, we were all so happy - we were wrong!! India was and will always be a beautiful country!!

Photo Source: http://www.tanujathakur.com/2012/06/16/वन्दे-मातरम्/bharat-mata/

We smiled and said, "Yes, you've proved us wrong, who wouldn't love their motherland? We love India and we are proud of India. It is a beautiful and colourful country, rich in its cultural heritage and traditions. But because of 25% bad behaving people, the rest 75% good people have to take the blame".

So, that was about the good news from work today. Here is one of my favourite patriotic songs, Rahman's Maa Tujhe Salaam:

After the 2012 Delhi gang rape, media criticized Indian men a lot, but there is good and bad everywhere in the world, so not all India men are socially immoral or rapists, majority are in fact good. I am reminded of a recent article written by a woman in The New York Times which brings out the truth about how good Indian men are --> The Good Men of India by a novelist, Lavanya Sankaran. She says Indian men are among the kindest men in the world :) 

So, to conclude, I'd say, "The world is like a university and we are all students who travel across the university to meet new people, make new friendships and learn new things, experiences and ideas which makes life more interesting to live" :)

Proud to be an Indian, Mera Bharat Mahaan!! Jai Hind!! :)

Just for fun ;) Part 2

Continued from Just for fun ;)

Below images are posted with an intention to share laughs and not for commercial use. They are owned by their respective creators and if brought to my notice, I will acknowledge all the sources.

Disclaimer: All characters appearing in the images are fictitious. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Wherever the text is small, click on the image to get bigger view :)

 Above Image Credit: http://www.toonpool.com/artists/Tony%20Zuvela_64381

Hope you had good laughs!! ;)

Have a FUNtastic day!! :)

Just for fun ;)

Today was a fun day at work, laughed a lot with friends and colleagues - cracking jokes, teasing each other, pulling someone's leg, hilarious expressions, ridiculous answers, etc. Later this evening I thought I'd share you my laughs - can't mention jokes from work, if I do they'd kick my backside, so found another way - sharing some funny pics instead :) 

All the below images are owned by their respective authors, whose efforts I am willing to acknowledge if brought to my notice. To be honest, I've received some through emails from friends, some were shared on facebook, etc - so it's hard to track the sources. All credit goes to the people who made them.

Disclaimer: All characters appearing in the images are fictitious. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

If the text is too small, click on the image and get a clear view to read it :)

Above Image Credit: http://speedbump.com/

Above Image Credit: http://bearskinrug.co.uk/

Hope you had a nice laugh!! :)

Cheers!! :)

10 Little acts of Kindness :)

Photo Credit: Jacqueline ; Usage Permitted: http://chibird.com/credits

10 little acts of Kindness which are simple and easy to follow in daily life:

1. Give up your chair in a crowded bus/train, offer it to an elderly person.

2. Go out of your way to open and hold a door for a disabled person.

3. Allow the pregnant lady behind you in a queue to go ahead of you.

4. Spare a minute for someone who is lost and asks you for directions, suggest the best route.

5. Write a note with a compliment for your loved one and hide it in a magazine for her to discover.

6. Allow someone to have your car parking spot even though you got there first.

7. Donate some of your used books to the library allowing more people to enjoy reading them.

8. If an elderly person is unable to carry a shopping bag or feeling uneasy or struggling with something, offer them help, get a chair for them, a bottle of water and say, 'Don't worry, everythings gonna be alright'.

9. When you visit the hospital for a regular general check up, take a bunch of inexpensive fresh flowers, enquire about a patient who hasn't had a visitor that day or is alone and has nobody to come and see them - give them flowers and say, 'Get well soon'.

10. Surprise a toddler(your niece/nephew/your own child) with a special gift which they are wishing to have since a very long time, wipe away their tears of joy with your bare fingers and hug them close to your heart.

I remember my granny used to say, "If you are kind to everyone you come across, someday when you are on the receiving end, God will be kind to you" :) 

A sincere smile is contagious and can make someone's day :)

Even a simple hello, a thoughtful gesture, a little love, care, kindness go a long way!! :)

So, make someone happy today, have a lovely day :) 

People who need no Introduction...

How would you feel if you become a person who needs no introduction(obviously for good reasons)?

How would you feel when you make a difference in this world by touching millions of hearts with something of value?

How would you feel if you were listed among Time's 100 most influential people in the world?

On Earth today, there are more than 7 billion humans and you are one of them, it is like a drop in an ocean - but always remember an ocean remains incomplete without a drop, so will the world without you. Add value to everything around you and make this world complete.

There are many ordinary people around us who have achieved extraordinary success in various fields. So, doesn't matter what you are into - you gotta be your best and start making a difference.

Everything is possible - take the risk, run towards your dreams, add more meaning to your life - failures, disappointments, defeats are all stepping stones - you have more strength and power in you to overcome all hurdles.

Never ever give up. I remember some of Les Brown's quotes,

"It's not over until you win"

"No matter how bad it is or how bad it gets, I'm gonna do it."

"Someone's opinion of you doesn't have to become your reality."

"Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way."

Success can't be achieved overnight, it takes a lot of effort, patience, perseverance and determination. I'm sure you must've read about the Chinese bamboo story.

You've got it in you. The world will never be the same because you came here.

Think Big, Dream Big. Never stop believing in yourself.

Have a wonderful day,

Take care :)

Liebster Award :)

Thank you very much Ankita for choosing me as one of the recipients of this wonderful 'Liebster Award' :) 

Here are my answers for the 10 questions given by Ankita :)

1. One book/movie you could alter the ending of. Please give reasons for your choice.

I would change the ending of the movie 'Adam'. I would make the lead character Adam Raki express his true love for Beth Buchwald and would drop his plan to move to California so that he could be with Beth. But Beth would want him not to give up on his dream job and she would agree to move to California with him. They'd be together always.

2. Which two Indian laws would you change if given an opportunity to do so?

Law on violence against women - make the punishments more stringent. 

Labour Law - greatly increase the minimum wage to help the poor survive the economic inflation.

3. Are you a dog person or a cat lover? Which breed of dogs you like the most and why?

I am an animal lover, basically I love all animals. But when it comes to dogs and cats, I'd choose a dog. My favourite breed is the German Shepherd. My aunt(mom's sister) has a German Shepherd and it is my best friend :) I love its loyalty, devotion and intelligence. It is definitely my breed of dog.

4. Which actor and actress you think should permanently bid adieu to acting and why?

If a person believes that what he/she is doing is the right thing in life, then they can carry on. So, it is up to those people themselves to decide when they should bid adieu. If they think they can still make a difference, they need to prove that. After all, everyone in this world deserves a second chance.

5. Name the two films you would like to direct again. Who will you cast in lead roles?

I haven't got the knowledge of directing a movie, but if I'm given the opportunity to be the leading actor in two films, I would like to be Johnny Castle(Patrick Swayze's role) in Dirty Dancing and Henry Roth(Adam Sandler's role) in 50 First Dates. I can do complete justice to both these roles as I have a strong passion for dancing and I'm a very devoted and dedicated lover who's got the strength and patience for even a hundred first dates :)

6. Where do you stay most (mentally), your past, present or future?

Future - I vision myself successfully achieving all my goals :) And that vision pushes me to work hard in the present to make all my dreams come true.

7. Describe yourself in three words?

Leader, Trustworthy, Fun-loving

8. How do you de-stress yourself?

Listening to soothing songs and humming along :) Watching hilarious comedy videos and laughing out loud :) Having a nice hot cuppa coffee/tea is very relaxing :)

9. How would you deal with a very rude but a close relative?

I am a straightforward person who believes that life becomes easier by openly discussing everything and not hiding anything. So, I'd ask that relative if I can have a short private meet with them and would openly tell them that he/she is being very rude and such behaviour is not acceptable. If they are willing to change, well and good, else I'd simply ignore them.

10. One zodiac sign (apart from yours) that you like and why?

Leo, The Lion. I love lion as the ruler and the king of kings.

Liebster is a German word for 'dearest' and this award is given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers. 

Here are the rules:

1.Link back to the blogger who has nominated you

2.Nominate ten more bloggers and pass this award to them

3.Answer all questions given to you

4.Create your own ten questions set for the nominees

5.Let them know that they have been nominated

The rules of this award asks me to nominate 10 people and ask 10 questions. But at present, I've got a small circle of blogger friends, but they are wonderful people. I can nominate only 5 people this time, so I'll ask them 5 questions.

I would like to give this award to:

Margaret  Sandhyaji  Sneha  Onkarji  and  Ramesh 

And here are my five questions for the award winners:

1. What is the happiest moment in your life till now?

2. Describe one embarrassingly funny experience you had.

3. If a genie grants you three wishes, what would you ask for?

4. Mention about an adventurous trip you went on and what makes it memorable.

5. In future, if you were chosen for the Nobel prize, which field would that be in?

Congratulations to all my friends :) 

Take care, All the best!! :) 

Best thing about a Girl...

What do you think is the best thing about a girl?

The best thing about a girl is

neither the sparkling mascara on her eyelashes

nor the attractive shade of lipstick on her lips

nor the glittering polish on her finger nails

nor the cosmetic foundation on her face

nor the styling spray that holds her hair in place

nor the fragrance in the perfume/deodorant she uses

nor the skin-tight outfit which compliments her body

but the best thing about a girl, I believe, is

the smile in her eyes :)

If a guy truly loves a girl, he wouldn't bother whether she wore the artificial makeup or not, but he would work hard and would do anything to bring that natural smile in her eyes :) 

So, the best make up any girl can wear is the smile in her eyes and the smile on her lips - they are enough to make her look like the goddess of beauty to her guy.

But why do you think the smile in her eyes is more precious than the smile on her lips?

In my opinion, it's cause her eyes are the mirror of her heart and a girl can naturally smile with her eyes only when she's genuinely happy, whereas the smile on her lips can be generated whenever she wants - like while she poses for a photograph.

the smile in a girl's eyes is a window to her soul...

Whether she is sweet 16 or sweet 60, one thing that remains unchanged is 'that smile in her eyes' - which her man would treasure forever!  :)

Cheers :)