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.