Small Steps for a better Earth

Pic Courtesy: www.smallsteps.in

Every time my fiance pulled out her compact folding cloth bag while checking out at the grocery store, I looked at it in wonder.

One particular day, my curiosity was especially piqued when she stuffed more than 5kgs worth of stuff in the bag without batting an eyelid. I was afraid it would tear, but it held and is still going strong having earned itself a new fan.

Pic Courtesy: www.smallsteps.in

Not giving it too much thought previously, it struck us suddenly a few days ago what an ecological treasure the bag is. Having followed the link http://www.smallsteps.in online from the text printed on the bag cover, much more was revealed about its history and purpose.

My fiance had picked it up while on her trip to Auroville where it originated. A brainchild of the Upasana Design studio http://www.upasana.in , the bag aims to champion the cause of a plastic free environment.

A group of local women use microfinance, get raw material & arrange machinery to sew the bag which is then marketed and sold through the foundation. The bag also works as a tool to educate families and whole world about the need of environmental conservation.

It is available in multiple colors along with a backpack variant.

Pic Courtesy: www.smallsteps.in

Do visit the website http://www.smallsteps.in to see how you could get one for yourself and spread the news for sake of a better future.

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Urban

Looking down on a city drenched in rain. The clouds move with the wind. Nestled in between mountains that rise from the ground like sentinels guarding borders. The vision is endless as far as the eye can see.

We move around in metal contortions. Cars, Buses, Motorcycles zipping along the roads. What's striking is the ego. We all are kings of our kingdom. The whole universe exists solely for our purpose. Every thought and action is to fulfill what we want, how we want. We are our most important people. Our wishes and desires are for us.

But, in the larger scheme of things we are just one in a billion such Kings. In the world, our presence is insignificant. In the Universe, our Earth is insignificant.

Sometimes, lets look from top of the universe. Zoom in to our galaxy, our planet, our country, our city, and then yourself. We are Puny. But, we act mighty.



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Charliezz... - Book Review

It is very easy to get a book published these days. I would assume so considering this one did. Charliezz... is a book in the Nostalgia genre, famously mastered by Chetan Bhagat. Books without depth, caricatured stories loosely tied together with anecdotes which people read and then reminisice about similar isolated events that happened in their lives. They have their market yes and do offer a quick escape down memory lane for some readers but that's all that is there to credit this category with.

The Book starts off well enough, recounting office shenanigans of a Chemical Engineers bunch but then quickly slides off into recollections of silly pranks between college friends culminating with a hackneyed cliched attempt at romantic fiction. A good writer has the skill of making even the ordinary look interesting, creating visions in the readers head, transporting him to an other world. A bad one, no matter how outlandish the situation he writes about still turns out a limp result as is the case with this book.

What the book really suffers from is lack of focus. The love story at the end has potential and had it been fleshed out more with some decent storytelling, it could have been a book on its own, worth its place on a Wheeler stand. Alas, its not and I would not recommend even spending time, forget money, on this book. It requires an effort to get through and there is not a single page that makes you want to stop and think. Nothing that contributes to your evolution as a reader, or on second thoughts maybe it does make one appreciate the good books out there.


Even the publishers though having done a good job at the production, fail on the proofreading part. It really makes one wonder and scared to pick up a book at random if this is the stuff that floats around masquerading as reads.

Disclaimer: I was offered a free copy of this book for the purpose of a review. However, the opinions are completely mine and in no way influenced.

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TZINGA - The Energy drink with a difference

In a world attempting to get the maximum done in minimum time, we quite frequently find our bodies unable to cope up with the energy demands of a normal day in our lives. The morning dash to work, skipped lunches for meetings and late night hangouts with friends require us to be raring to go at all moments.

Enter a slew of energy drinks filled with ingredients to pump you up and go that extra mile. Traditionally, energy drinks have been more expensive than the caffeinated cold beverages sold by Coca Cola and Pepsico, sold mostly in the can format.

Breaking through this clutter is a new entrant that is set to redefine rules of the game. Manufactured by Hector Beverages, TZINGA ENERGY DRINK makes itself appealing at multiple levels.

1. Being aware of the price-conscious Indian mind, Tzinga has a retail price of only Rs.20/-!! This aggressive pricing is possible because of their unique Doy-Pack unlike the usual cans offered by its competitors.This is unheard of in this segment and is sure to attract many people looking for a quick energy fix that doesn't break the bank. It also puts them square in competition against the colas at their price point while offering a more evolved product. The doy-pack packaging is attractive and of international standards. It instantly grabs the eyes with well made graphics communicating its energy drink heritage extremely well.
2. Despite the low price, Tzinga does not cut corners in its ingredients. It has the usual suspects like Caffeine, Taurine and B-family vitamins while also piling on some exotics like Ginseng and Guarana.
3. It comes in three different natural flavors. Lemon Mint, Tropical Trip and Mango Strawberry, all fruit based natural flavors without preservatives. An energy drink that does not taste like medicine. Something that cannot be said about all its competitors.
4. The drink is non-carbonated. There is no fizz. Now, while this might turn away a few people who get their feeling of fresh from the bubbles, personally I like it this way. No nonsense, good tasting, quick energy fix that does not hide behind CO2.

So how do the flavors stack up?

Mango Strawbery: A fruity flavor. This will appeal to those who like fruit fusions. The flavor is more strawberry than mango.

 Tropical Trip: Again a fusion of tropical fruits, Pear, Pineapple, Mandarin, Apple, Passionfruit and Lemon. This flavor is especially funky and the most recent addition to the flavor line up.

Lemon Mint: The Classic. Refreshing Lemon with a very distinct Mint.This one is a personal favorite.

Finally, we come to the real question. The question that matters. For all its claims of natural fruit flavor and competitive pricing, does it work as an energy drink? Yes, it very much does. Staying true to its claim of '5 hour charge', my first try of this drink had me buzzing for a very long time, practically jumping from one place to another. Also, the Guarana helps prevent a crash, allowing the effects to wear off very gradually.

Hector Beverages has a winner on its hands with a product that is competitive and tastes well. A fact also confirmed by my girlfriend who allowed herself a sip of all three flavors. It is currently available only in limited markets and Hector Beverages will do well by launching it in remaining geographies with aggressive marketing. Such a product is only waiting to become a nationwide success.

Disclaimer: I was offered free samples for the purpose of this review but the opinions are completely mine and in no way influenced.

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Coffee Culture

Russians in Goa aren't known to be a polite lot. They fly in directly from russia, strut around in their speedos and ignore everything that doesn't influence their immediate needs. For that reason it was a surprise to hear the call of 'Fresh Turkish Coffee' from a Russian gentleman at the Lamuella boutique on beach road in Arambol, Goa. Intrigued by his setup and shop front open seating, I tried two consecutive days to catch him in place and try his wares but to no success. Either I was too late or he was visiting elsewhere. Fate seemed to be playing a game. Finally on the evening of third day I parked myself on the outside stool with a mind to wait out his return. As he got back his face showed pleasant surprise to see a ready customer. To start with he offered peanut coconut mini cakes on the house. He had me won over at that moment itself but the best was yet to come. Brewing the coffee painstakingly in a steel mug over hot sand, filled the store with an invigorating smell. His display brought in more customers, all of us eagerly awaiting the much promised cuppa.

What finally arrived was a porcelain cup of black gold. The coffee was nirvana. Full of body and character yet smooth and sinful. It glided down the throat like honey with flavor of berries on the tongue. My companion who never fancied black coffee thought it to be most delicious and became a convert. Suddenly he asked, 'Which country are you from?', and as I answered "India" he became so happy, he declared my cup to be absolutely free! Just because I was the first Indian in his 5 day old shop and broke his impression that Indian's don't drink coffee. The fruit of my patience over days couldn't be sweeter and the generosity of a stranger made it even more. In a way it justifies travel and my need for it.

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Ruhaniyat - Sufiana samaa under a moonlit sky

Pic Courtesy: http://www.ruhaniyat.com

Ruhaniyat the all India Sufi and Mystic Music festival held its annual Pune edition for the 7th time. The very apt location of Empress Botanical Gardens with its open air atmosphere served to set the mood. A bat fluttering across the sky as the moon played hide and seek with tree tops added a touch of surreal. The trees stood silent witness to an eclectic mix of artists that transported the transfixed audience to a higher plane of existence. 

Showcasing diverse artists from Egypt, Turkey and states across India, the audience got a peek into the innermost emotions of artists, each one of them trying to reach out to their maker. 

The Egyptian father son duo of Mohammad Hasan Farghaly and Mohamad Mohammad Farghaly roped in the audience with their opening act, succeeded by the self taught Swarna Noora from Punjab singing Bulleh Shah compositions in her proud voice accompanied by her equally talented son. Latif Bolat from Turkey then took the stage and showed us how closely tied is the experience of Sufi and Kabir's Bhakti movement. The most entertaining group of the evening was Rizmat Barkat and group singing Sufi Kalam's while the crowd couldn't stop clapping as they experienced Gafoor Khan's flying fingers on the Kartal with a younger accomplice matching his taals, the flair and speed moving everyone to the edge of their seats. Parvathy Baul followed with her renditions of soul. It was interesting to observe this self initiate display her dedication to the art. The Whirling Dervish duo Mostafa M Mohamed Hamdan and M Kamel Mohamed Hussain from Assuit, Egypt performed visual drama of taking the soul through a spiritual journey and entered the audience's heart by showering blessings with their flying skirts. The audience then got a break as the now made famous by the famous bollywood film, 'Rockstar', Chand Nizami Qawwali group from Delhi started setting up. Once the audience assembled again, hands started clapping as the Qawwalis tugged at the heart strings of emotions in everyone present finally drawing the evening to a close.

The intention of a Sufi or Mystic performer is to experience the divine through music and songs. In this endeavor some of the spirit rubs off on the audience as well. Banyan Tree is to be commended for conceptualizing this festival allowing the audiences to experience what ordinarily would be far removed from our daily lives. Though the lyrics might have been a barrier at times, if one closed their eyes it would have been possible to touch something deep inside us and the entertainment aside, this aspect of the festival makes it a winner and its subsequent editions more eagerly awaited.

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