Sunday, October 24, 2010

Beauty & Care

While watching an commercial on age defining cream today on TV, my mind wandered back to all those beauty products that i could remember from when i was three years, because thats how far i could drag my conscious mind. There were very few items on anyone's dressing table. A talcum powder container, made of metal. I could remember the names such as Afghan talc, and then there was the age old Ponds, and even Cuticura. Its was only one fragrance available, in each brand. Then there was the snow, in a thick heavy glass jar, a kind of whitish creamy thing, which once applied on, would disappear giving a very whitish look, but not oily. They too came from the Afghan brand, and also there were Ponds and Lakme snow, though i think Lakme came into the scene later, if I am not mistaken. The Afghan brand was in a jar which had this snow peaks as label which i kind of liked as i always had this fascination for mountains, way back then too. The face powders mostly from ponds were in this round card board boxes, with a puff, and the powder was pinkish, and not the pressed variety, so every time one opened the box some of the powder flew out. Lipsticks were also very few on the dressers of people, mostly i used to see reds and pinks. Later as we grew up we discovered more brands like the Max factor with their foundations and face powder, so also did Lakme with their brands of face powders and foundations. Yah there was this cold cream too, from Ponds and Afghan, and Lakme.
I remember as a kid the magazines had these models with huge heads, actually they were wearing those buffonts ( i don't know how to spell that) and i always thought how unnatural it all looked, even back then i wondered how they went about with that load on their heads. The models wore eyeliners long and thick and i felt what a funny combination, a huge over grown head with painted eyes. I used to associate it with some pictures i had seen in some book or magazine of some tribals, they too had some sort of head dress and painted faces and eyes. Eyeliners too were of the brands Lakme, Max Factor, nail polishes i remember were from Afghan, Lakme, and there was this other brand called Step nail polishes. They all took the most prominent places on the shop counters. I also remember there was this cream called Charmis.
Much later came in Tips and toes, i think they were nail polishes.

Back then foreign brands were not so easily available here. Come to think of it, now we have popular brands of international cosmetics available at every store, mall, every where. And so many choices for make up, and skin care. Back then i rememeber Anne French milk for cleansing, now its not just cleansing milk, its all about what skin type, the time of the year, and age group, and so on... Cold creams are still available, but they to come as oily, normal, dry. Back then there were no moisturizers, now its again moisturizers for dry, normal and oily, there are make up kits from average to the most expensive of brands , face powders for nnn..... number of skin tones, foundations, with sun screens, all day wear, pressed foundations, what else........., Eye liners ... so many varieties of colours, applications with brush, pencils, pens, wow, just pick what ever suits you, mascaras of all shades, its a whole lot of colourful world. In skin care, there are so many varieties, each claiming to make one look younger than the latest new born human baby. Each claiming to have the latest technology, high absorbent nutrients, one brand has something very important to keep my wrinkles at bay, while the other has another substance that claims to replenish some vital requirement that no other product can do, because they don't have it, because it has been patented. Poor me the consumer, what do i use, the first product to take care of my wrinkles or the second one to replenish what ever my skin is losing. Both claim their product must NOT be used in combination with any other product for best results.

Then there are endless sunscreens , SPF 10, 20 30 40 right upto 60, some even have stuff like the TPF, some claim they have both SPF and TPF, some say theirs is the best as its herbal, others claim theirs is best because it not just protects from sun burn, but also from tan, (now whats the difference ). Reading through the so called herbal products, well a whole lot of chemicals go into it for preservation. Make up, well back then there was the rouge, today there are blushers, again different skin tones, lipsticks, thats like the best, endless colours, and endless shades, sometimes two color codes of a shade look exactly the same.

Shampoos, i remember the Halo shampoo, it was a golden transparent liquid, in a glass bottle, and also there was the halo egg shampoo. Now there are shampoos for God knows how many kinds of hair. Normally there is the dry, normal and oily variety. Then there is the shampoo for colored hair, and the Sunsilk brand takes the cake in confusing us with the hundreds of hair types and their corresponding shampoos. After every Sunsilk commercial, i contemplate what type is my hair. Herbal shampoos, fruit extract shampoos, repair shampoos, dandruff shampoos, every day wash shampoos, the list goes on.... and so does the number of brands, each claiming to keep our crowning glory intact, healthy, thick, long, dark, soft and silky.......

And now the soaps, well some call their brand cleansing bars, looks like the days of cleansing lotions might soon be getting over. Again endless brands, endless varieties from each brands, claiming to turn your skin extra baby soft. Oh yah how could i forget the good old Johnsons baby products, think of a new born baby, and it reminds me of that typical baby smell, and to go with it the Johnsons baby powder and soap. There was the baby cream too, and gradually they were joined by the baby lotion, shampoo, coconut oil, baby oil, and now even Johnsons have a confusing lot of products in their range. Not just Johnsons, now there are so many brands of baby products, each claiming to keep your baby's skin, hair soft forever.

Ah yes there are also the day creams and night creams, and how could i forget the all famous fairness creams. With out that no girl cam get married , no one can get a job, or even win a race.

I think my writing is all confused, maybe because I am all confused with all the hundreds of products available off the counter, i guess i should stop right here before i confuse myself further. Just a last thought, wonder what happened to all those brands like the Afghan snow, i guess that was the oldest brand!!!!!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

SMS, WA, e card, or letter for Bijoya greetings.

Today I got an sms, from Ma Durga, it was in bengali, says, "Sabai ke niye bari pouche gechi, pathe kono jhamela hoyni. Oder baba amader nite Manasarovar airporte eshechilo. Tora chinta korishna. Msg ta sobai ke forward kore dis----- Ma Durga, Shubho Bijoya". It means I have reached home along with everyone, didnt have any problems on the way. Their father had come to Manasarovar airport to recieve us. You all do not worry. Forward this msg to everybody-----Ma Durga, Shubho Bijoya. It was fascinating to read the sms. Ofcourse we all know that no Ma Durga has sent the message, still the very thought of it is amusing. After all in todays mordern times Ma Durga too can posess a cell phone, and feel free to use it instead of wasting her extra sensory talents to connect with her devotees down here below the Himalayan region. The sms sent me wondering how times have changed. When we were children the end of Pujos meant letter writing time. And the begining lines of all of them were more or less the same, Dear so & so, mostly addressed to someone older to us, the next line going first of all take my bijoya pronaam, and then naming all the next in line older to us one by one, and conveying them our Bijoya pronaams, and next best wishes to the same age group, namely the cousins, and lastly the line love and blessing to all those who are younger to us, again naming them individually. This gives a personal touch to all those who have been addressed individually. The next paragraph is almost always the same, how did you all spend your pujo, we had a very great time. If the pujos have been disturbed by rains, then that aspect it mentioned, adding that inspite of rains, the enjoyment wasnt dampened at all. Then came the line, how many pujo pandals one has visited, comparision between them, what new clothes each one has got for themselves for the pujo, and also not forgetting to thank those who had sent pujo clothes as gifts. Each one will try to emphasize how good the pujos are in their particular city, and how much they missed their other part of their family, feeling bad that they could not have the same kind of enjoyment in their particular city. Every year more or less the same lines are written over and over again, by each and every bengali, till BSNl & MTNL revolutionalized the whole system of communication. There was a time when one had to make applications for a phone conection and wait for ages, sometimes as a gift for being born a phone connection used to be booked, and when that child is old enough to get married, maybe the phone connection finally arrives. Unless ofcourse one has the right conections, and pulled the right strings to get their conection faster. From those frustrating days, suddenly everyone got their phone conections by just filling a form and submitting and there in a weeks time the phone rings in their homes. Next came in the pagers and soon before one realised there was the internet and mobile phones. Today everyone almost has a cell phone, and an e mail id. Everyone is just an sms away, a phone call away, or an e mail away. With facebook, its still easier, just put it as a status message, " Shubho Bijoya to all ". Short and simple, to the point. But it just makes me wonder, with all the convenience of the sms, and facebook, are we losing the personal touch, the intimacy that there used to be in those days of letter writing. Atleast e mail does have a personal touch, but do we really have that kind of time, or should I say inclination to write letters and e mail them. Sms, and status messages are so much easier. Maybe to give that special touch we can probably send an e card suited for that particular occasion. Going back to those years as kids, I remember my dad used to encourage us to write those letters, and also give details of each and every day of the pujos, which he felt would help us to improve our writing skills along with the sending of Bijoya greetings. I remember trying to avoid as much as possible, the letter writing process, to the extent that once i made this list of people whom i had to write letters, I wrote one letter, copied the same letter for everyone and just changed the names in each of them and posted them to the respective relatives. I know that back then if i had the access to sms, or the internet, I would have been only too happy, but then i would not have got this skill of writing this blog. Well i guess there is a good side and a not so so good to this also like everything else. Shubho Bijoya :D

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Nineteen Years

Today is Maha Shoshthi, the first day of Durga Pujo, when Ma Durga is welcomed into our homes, the rituals of Bodhon, Amantran, Adhibas, are are going on in every pujo pandals. Nineteen years ago also it was 13th October, Shoshthi, when Bapi left us for his heavenly abode, I say that because for the last few days of my Bapi's life all he said was 'Ma', only that one word, 'Ma'. We used to ask him what was his discomfort, if he was in pain, he never replied, it was as if he was ready, and all he was waiting was for Ma to come and relieve him of this life.

His life had its more than fair share of ups and downs, and its was his sheer faith in Ma Durga, that gave him the strength to face all obstacles and come out of them successful. Nothing ever shook his faith in his Ma. Among all his siblings, he was extremely close to his mother, and was a very very devoted son. He drew his inspiration from her, she in turn had brought him up to be a man of a very strong, and honest character. For Bapi his Mother and the Universal Mother, were one. Its no wonder then that it was Durga pujo, when his Ma took him away to her abode.

It was a big blow to us, his children and our mother. We just couldn't accept the fact that how could he pass away on the very day of the begining of Durga pujo. How could Ma Durga do this to him and his family. How could she put him through painful treatment, and yet in the end take him away. Its only now, after so many years, and after finally coming to terms with the reality, and thanks to Guruji, that we have started to understand the deeper meaning of life itself. What died was the body, soul lives on, to move at higher realms, closer to the Universal truth. Bapi too moved on, to where he rightfully belongs, for all the pain that he took, for all the struggle that he faced in his life, this was the fitting reward, to go where his Ma dwells, and I am sure he is there somewhere, showering his blessings on all of us, his family that he left behind.

We all have to go some day, it depends on our Karmas. Soul is ever lasting and we all come back again some where, as somebody else, in the process meeting each other over and over again, as parents, siblings, spouses, partners, friends and so on. Every new life brings with it new relationships, new life stories, all depending on the Karmas that we had in our previous lives. And the close conections of those past life does draw us again to the same soul who used to be our father, or mother, or sibling and so on. That feeling of I know someone, whom I hadn't even met before, I feel more close to some people, than others, how? The answer to that is simple, we may not recognize each other, but the soul does recognize each other.

So I know that I will meet my Bapi some where, as somebody, I am sure I will know him as someone very close to me, he will too know me as someone his own, for we all don't go anywhere really, its all here, right here, till we all reach Nirvana. That I am sure will take sometime. :)

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Verdict is out

So the verdict is out, its been four days. Indians have been congratulated for being matured and keeping calm. There have been opinions some calling it a justified ruling, sonme saying one party has been not so well rewarded, but all agreeing to respect the law, and those who wants to shall make an appeal. at the most the issue may then drag for another dont know how many years. By then i am sure the new generation of Indians, irrespective of which ever religion they hail from, may not even remember what all the fuss is about. Already the younger generation wants development, education, more employment opportunities, health and sanitation, good governance etc as the focus for the future, not a mandir masjid issue.

Some how the peace and calm hasnt gone down with many quarters, one our news channels. they probably were hoping against hopes that there would be a wee bit of emotional flare up so that their debates can draw some good TRPs, so sorry Mr. Sardesai, Mr. Goswami, Ms Dutt, and all your kind from all other english and other regional news channels. Do these news channels realize that their discussions and debates on any issue can lead to the participants getting emotionally carried away and ending up making comments that can rub some people the wrong way, lead to problems Especially when this issue is percieved to be so sensitive. In fact just as bulk messages had been banned, so also news channels should have been banned to have any debates or discussions on the issue at all. Their job is to deliver news and thats it. Let the rest be taken care by the judiciary, period.

Our politicians too were taken aback. All the security measures were taken in vain. Mr Yadav did try, but got snubbed from the very people who he pretended to show concern. As for our home minister, well he finally declared that the mosque destruction was still a criminal offense. Dear Sir, we all know that, and we also know how the security arrangements were at that time which led to the unfortunate event. By the way wasn't it their party at the center at that time ?

Please all you politicians, BACK OFF ande let the judiciary do their job. If any party is unhappy, they have the right given by the Constitution of India to appeal, and if all concerned parties want to sit down and sort things out amicabily, then they are free to do so, only you politicians, from all parties stay out of it. Enjoy the common wealth games, and pay more attention to the clean governance of the country. Pay attention to developing infrastructure, provide good health, education facilities, provide more employment opportunities, and most important, instead of keeping all the security just for yourselves and your families, extend a little bit of that to us countrymen, after all we are getting smarter and so your votes depend on our evaluation of you all.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Its 3.20 Pm, the time is ticking away, moment by moment, everyone waiting, with fingers crossed, for the verdict, hoping that its a neutral one, no gains no loss for either party. Soon time will tell. The whole city of Ayodhya has been transformed into a well guarded fortress, with security forces, army, paramilitary, police, even the airforce has been kept alert and ready to take control of any untoward situtation, and all this in the name of religion, in the name of the very God that we all turn to for protection and solace. Temple, mosque, places of prayers, all holy, yet the same holy symbol has today become the bone of contention. If one party wins, the other will not win. And then what will that lead to. Technically, the losing party can again make an appeal, and then the judiciary will again take God only knows how long to come to another conclusion.

Sixty years has passed since the first hearing had taken place, and in those sixty years, so much blood has been shed. Has India and its people, and more so its politicians and learnt their lesson. Who has benefitted in all these years and who will, after the verdict is out, really benefit. Will anyone carry the piece of land with them when they leave this earth, the ones whose dead bodieswill be burnt will have their ashes mixed into this very earth, and the others who are buried will also ultimately become a part of the dust of this very earth. Will they be able to then enjoy the piece of the land? In the name of religion so many wars have been fought, with no end to it. There is no winner here, yet no lessons have ever been learnt.

I wonder what would Lord Ram's opinion would be had he been around today. he is revered as the ' Maryada Purusottam'. For the sake of peace he had left his kingdom, choosing to live in the forest, and he chose the welfare and happiness of his subjects, to his wife, to the extent of even banishing her away in a pregnant state, all for the sake of his Kingdom and his subjects. What would he choose now, a temple in his name, or a mosque, or maybe a hospital to cater to the needs of one and all, irrespective of which caste, class, religion, or community they come from.

When ever there has been riots and wars, the worst affected were women. She has always remained a commodity, along with the material loot, she was also looted, raped, molested, and then asked to prove her chastity, again and again. Whether it was Sita of the Ramayan era, or Draupadi of the Mahabharata, it was always she who had to bear the brunt of all battles and wars. In a war between Ravan and Ram, it was Sita, who was used as the commodity, and later till today it is Sita who is blamed, all because she stepped out of her home to feed a hungry beggar. She couldnt help her caring maternal insincts, after all she was a woman, pity, love and care are her nature. How could she let the hungry beggar go away unfed from her door. Unfortunately she didnt know how to distinguish a real beggar from a fraud in disguise, so she paid for it. Ravan won a point against Ram.

Ram had to rescue his wife from ravan's clutches, it was his honour and the honour of his family that was at stake. Once the job done, he asked his wife to prove her chastity, in the larger interest of the society. Ram was Maryada Purusottam, but the same yardstick was not used for his wife. Inspite of proving her chastity, and show the society that she was after all worthy of being Ram's better half, she had to leave, pregnant, with the future heirs of the same kingdom, to the forest, for the sake of the society. Ultimately she had to perish into the same earth, on which stood the kindom, and its people who questioned her.

Draupadi, Kunti, are blamed for the Mahabharat war, had Kunti not hidded the fact of Karna being her son, had Draupadi not want revenge for her insult, thie war of Kurukshetra woulod not have taken place. But if Kunti had told teh world that Karna was her son, then would this same society not question her who was Karna's father. If Surya disown the fact that he was Karna's father, then too accusatory fingers would have been pointed at Kunti for being unchaste. Draupadi became a pawn in the war between the step brothers. Had Pandavas not won her, then the Kauravas would have. And all this to get the political support of her father. She was insulted before the whole assembly, called a whore, all beacuse she had five husbands. Even that was forced upon her, all for teh sake of keeping the five brothers united. Her husbands and their supporters called it her sacrifice, her large heartedness, while their opponents calle her a whore. Ahilya was turned into a stone, all because she was beautiful, and Indra couldnt control himself. Ahilya paid for being beautiful, and Indra continued to rule the heavens.

Torture of women has happened and is still continuing. Even today women has to prove herself to be a chaste, and more than capable wife, mother, and a equally good worker, among her male collegues at her work place. In most homes though she is an equal bread winner, yet the house hold chores are solely hers to do. In the marriage market, her worth is high if she is a highly qualified, and hefty salary earner, yet she is expected to bring along with her the moolah, too at the time of marriage. If a marriage breaks, the women are looked upon as the reason for conflict, a home breaker. Without a man by her side she is looked upon as available. If she choses to be single, then she is called arrogant. All rules of society are for her to abide. It is said men never grow up. Well they dont have to. They dont have to beware of being abused no matter how young or infant they are.

The riots during independance, 1992, all saw blood shed, there was no difference of colour in the blood of a hindu or a muslim. It was all universally deep red, but it was women who had to bear the humiliation, irrespective of what religion she hailed from. Here there was only one rule, she is a woman, a commodity, andjust like houses and property are looted and ransacked, burnt and destroyed, so also treat her to avenge the enemy and teach them a lesson. Some women continue to live with the memory of those horror, while others have perished.

It had to be only a man, Ram, who took the credit of releasing Ahilya of her husband's curse that he gifted her for no fault of hers. Pleas of Ahilya that she was ignorant of Indra's conspiracy had fallen to her husband's deaf ears, as she was only a woman. Draupadi lived on with the memories of the horror of her insult, the loss of all her sons, and the blame of the war on her head, Sita was fed up and killed herself.

Its the 21st century. Has the society changed, only time will tell. Whether the temple wins or mosque, what does it matter to us women. Either way, women cannot becomes priests, or maulavis. For now we all have to agree, that it doesnt matter who wins or who loses, hopefully all have learnt a lesson. No more bloodshed, no more riots, we have had enough, we cannot give even one more life for this cause, because we women know the worth of a life, it takes a whole nine months, and then intense pain before a life in born on this earth. Our nature is to care and nurture. Its time women irrespective of caste, religion, class, all stand up and demand, that this disputed spot belongs to all, so a hospital be built, where human beings shall be treated, a home built where the old are looked after, a child shelter is built where children have a safe haven to grow, to blossom, into a new world, that is free of any religion, caste or class, and all that remains is love and respect for each other, and spirituatlity.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Empress Of Seasons

Its end of September, rains almost over, at least thats what i hope. Now a days monsoons come and go as its pleases, all predictions about it coming a week earlier, moderate to good rains, etc all gets washed away. Well in Chennai though, pre monsoons are supposed to start soon, but this year it has been raining off and on, along with other parts of the country, so i guess we can get to enjoy a little bit of the change in the weather as the next season Autumn approaches.

Autumn, the very sound of it has a kind of music to it, its like a song, a very sweet, melodious, song, bringing in notes that have been hidden deep somewhere in our hearts, and then suddenly peeping out one morning, softlty , tip toeing, and then bursting in high notes in all its glory. In Bengali its called the Shaarod Ritu, the season of festival, joy, happiness, new expectations, new harvest, freshness, fragrance, of sweet new blooms of the Dopati, Jui (Jasmine), Shewli ( Parijat I guess), Gendha ( Marigold ), fresh new grass and leaves that peep out timidly from the branches of the trees and shrubs, to check if the rains have stopped lashing the earth since the monsoon started. On the other hand the Kaash Phool shrubs, found only in Bengal, along with the ripe dhaan ( Paddy) stalks, sway their heads gleefully to the soft breeze hailing the arrival of the Empress of the seasons, Autumn.

Shaarod Ritu, or Autumn has a special place in the hearts of every Bengali, and so also in me as it is the season when Maa Durgaa arrives to celebrate with her children, her devotees, all over the earth. In anticipation Mother Earth too prepares herself in all her glory and dresses herself in her finest of garments. While birds sing hymns in praise of Maa Durga, Mother Earth too wears fresh delicate new grass and leaves, adorns herself with the flowers of this season, in colours of red, pinks, peaches, of the dopati blooms, the golden orange and yellow of the marigolds, and the beautiful white of the jui, and finishing it off with a garland of shewli, as it is so special, tiny white flowers with a deep orange stem, how very enchanting. Perfumes of all these flowers surround her and spread all over. She covers her head with the deep blue of the sky with puffs of clean spotless pristine white clouds. The rivers flow with renewed vigor as the monsoons had overfilled them since the last four months. The ponds too celebrate with new blooms of the lotus and lillies, and the golden hue of the sunlight paints Mother Earth's face with its glow, that changes colours at different times of the day.

The early morning glow is all deep red with touches of green, blue, purple and light yellow, all blending tastefully into each other. The Sun quietly tip toes and peeks out from the horizon, all red in colour, spreading its crimson red glow all over the horizon, gradually rising all along changing its colour from the shy blushing red to the youthful gold and then bright white, spreading the glow all over the sky in celebration of first day of the new season. There is a particular fragrance in the air, typical of this season, and with it comes a slight nip in the early morning air. Birds too sing a very different tune, special to this season, the beetles, bees and butterflies join in a dance to celebrate, the breeze is gentle, carrying with it the autumn fragrance. The white fertile delta soil is not wet but not too dry either. All over there is a mark of celebration.

As the day progresses the sun gets warmer, but not too uncomfortable to bear, as the pristine white clouds always take care to come and provide a cozy shade. By evening the warm sun prepares to set, turning from bright white to gradual vermillion red, spreading its red glow all over the sky and earth and all over the trees, shrubs, rivers and ponds, giving the impression of a beautiful bride all dressed up in all her wedding finery with deep red Sindoor ( vermillion) on the parting of her head.

Night quietly approaches with the fireflies and glow worms humming and flashing their lights as if they were trying to compete with the stars up in the sky. With the clear sky and dustless air the stars appear more than bright, filling every inch of the sky. The Moon too now makes her appearance fearlessly, now that no monsoon clouds will force her to hide. Growing bit by bit every night she reaches a full circle and completes the whole picture. Earth is now ready to celebrate and welcome Mother Divine, Durgaa. But wait a minute, isnt Mother Earth, the Divine Mother, Maa Durgaa all the same and isnt the season of all seasons, Sharood Ritu, celebrating Her glory. The Sharood Utsav, is the celebration of the glory of Mother Nature, Mother Earth, Maa Durgaa. No wonder she is the season of all seasons, the Empress of all Seasons.