Thoughts on the Sea

I need the sea because it teaches me,
I don’t know if I learn music or awareness,
if it’s a single wave or its vast existence,
or only its harsh voice or its shining
suggestion of fishes and ships.
The fact is that until I fall asleep,
in some magnetic way I move in
the university of the waves.
-Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda was deeply in love with the sea. It is easily reflected in his poems, as well his lavish avant-garde homes that face the sea, are decked with wood and provide the ambiance of being on ship.

Who in the world does not love the sea(except those who get sea sick?)

But I want to delve further. What makes us love the sea?

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Sense makes food!

The Varq Restaurant at Taj Mansingh Hotel, Delhi may be defined as my own personal epicurean epicenter, for I crave to visit it any and every chance I'd get. Of course, this is not the only place which brings that epic epiphany relating to the existence of the the mastery in culinary arts, but still, it just served as a good example to start off with this blog post.

We are all aware (I hope) of the nasal role played in our food tasting experience. So, talking about the five senses, we may cross off the olfactory and gustatory ones. 
The tactile one is also of prime importance as can be heard in the phrase "Maa ke haath ka khana" (the food prepared by the mother). The conclusion arrived at from a related cocktail discussion was that there is some sort of an energy that is transferred from your finger tips to your food when you eat with your hands (now, don't blame me for going against table manners).

But I wanted to go beyond the somewhat obvious inferences. 
How far can our visual and auditory senses affect our eating experience?

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Kolkata–Kalikkhetro

The beauty of eastern India – its metropolitan hub. And vibrant hues of reds, yellows, blues and greens. Yes, it’s time for Durga Puja in Kolkata. The time when the fairy tales you read from gold embossed books in childhood seem to come alive.

               
                                                 http://durgawalls.com/2009/09/24/durga-puja-2009-jodhpur-park/

                           
                          http://cshyamal.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/10/a-photo-feature-on-durgapuja-in-calcutta-2008-part.htm; 

It is said that the name comes from Kalikata – meaning Kalikshettro , the abode of Goddess Kali - one of the 3 villages that was present in the area before the arrival of the British. Take a walk here and you are transported back in time. With a history of inhabitation for over two millennia, once the capital of the British Raj and presently the 8th largest urban conglomeration in the world, this city has more layers than meets the eye. One second, the Victoria Memorial catches your breath and the next, before you realise, an antique tram has subtly gone past you!

                                              
                                      http://traveltoindias.blogspot.com/2010/06/victoria-memorial-kolkatta.html

As a newcomer to Bengal, if you do not know the sweet tongue of Rabindranath Tagore, fear not, my friends! For the people are so warm and friendly. They will even invite you home to try out some of the famous delicacies. And talking about food, who can not mention Rasogullas – ah, the heavenly taste of sugar syrup and homemade cottage cheese! Note: There are several of Haldiram’s outlets around the city. If you wish for a more authentic flavour, you can try out the local sweet joints snugly squeezed into the corners at crossroads

     
     http://funnfud.blogspot.com/2008/04/rasgulla-traditional-bengali-sweet.html
                               
                        
The transport modes are a highlight to any tourist – such a wide variety is not present in any other city in India. Comfortably seated in the trademark good-old yellow Ambassador taxis, which are the lifeline of Kolkata, you can spot horse-carriages along Maidan Road, trams  playing hide-and-seek every once in a while, buses – news ones as well as the older generation with wooden window shutters, cycle rickshaws and hand rickshaws, autos and yes, cars – from BMW models to the cosy Nano.

                         

http://www.bestourism.com/img/items/big/8138/Calcutta-A-beautiful-city-of-India-_Means-of-transport_15761.jpg

            
                     
                  http://www.rakhdu.com/destinations/asia/india-asia-destinations/west-bengal/kolkata/yellow-taxi-kolkata/

                      
                                                http://www.filmapia.com/published/places/trams

Places to see here? If you are an ardent cricket fan, you will look no farther than Eden Stadium and Sourav Ganguly’s residence.
       

http://crazyharsha.blogspot.com/2009/01/saurav-ganguly-living-legend-of-indian.html


For those of you who admire engineering marvels, Howrah Bridge is the place to be. It is a cantilever truss bridge that was constructed without using any nuts and bolts way back in 1874. Amazing, isn’t it?

                

http://vashiculturalassociation.com/template1/places-in-calcutta.asp; 

Looking for family entertainment with kids? Relax your worries, Kolkata offers that too – with its beautiful Nicco Park and the Science Centre!
                  
For a walk through history, there is the privately owned Marble Palace with its artistic sculptures and masterpieces, the Indian Museum, the Town Hall and Writer’s Building for a glimpse of British Administrative buildings and the Shaheed Minar to name a few.
                       

Finally, at the end of the day, wish to sweep your special one off her feet? Take her shopping – to the gigantic malls in Salt Lake City  and elsewhere or if she loves bargaining and the excitement of roadside shopping, New Market, Esplanade, Gariahat, Chowringhee Road with its terracotta wares [a Kolkata speciality] and Vardaan Market. However, you are sure to discover lots more markets in your travels.

The cultural capital of India, this city welcomes you with an open heart and casts a spell on you with its depth. How many ever times you come here, its never enough. There is always more to be seen, known, observed, experienced.
Keep visiting it. Again and again. Its worth every bit of it.

P.S: Traffic congestion and pollution are one of the major drawbacks of this metropolitan hub. Make sure you go at a favourable time of the year, unless you wish to be drenched in sweat and scorched by the sharp sun. Lastly, beware of taxi drivers who might take you for more of a ride than you’ve bargained for.

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Reasons shall find their way to joy!

Because colors are the soul of India...

Because Every evening has a new morning..

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Expli-spit

One heavily trafficked evening, while walking to the bus stop, I encountered a funny but a gross scene. One colleague was busy washing her sleeves at the roadside and few people were trying to help her. When I went near, I came to know that she was badly hit by something called “paan spit”.

First of all, few facts from Wikipedia- Spitting or expectoration, is the act of forcibly ejecting saliva or other substances from the mouth. Spitting upon another person, especially onto the face, is a universal sign of anger, hatred or contempt. It can represent a "symbolical regurgitation" or an act of contamination. Various diseases and infections can be spread by spitting, including tuberculosis, influenza, and the common cold.

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The leather Rampage

As genuine as the reality, as natural as ones own skin, this material called Leather has been human being's companion since time immemorial, even before fire was discovered . Yet sometimes considered an article of luxury, for other times a subject of environmental-social opposition , it has maintained its identity despite all controversies. Trends according to Seasons come in and fade out, but style remains eternal and constant! Similarly, Leather is considered an everlasting thing, having which in one's closet is not only like a classic must have but also a style statement.

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The graceful nine yards

Saree originates from the Prakrit word "Sattika" . While ancient scriptures suggest the tradition of draping Women[considered to be embodiment of power and divinity] in something as exquisite and auspicious, there is another view also.
According to natyashastra, the midriff is left bare while wearing a saree because the naval area is supposed to be source of life, creativity and positive energy. Hence follows the silhouette.
Every Indian has seen women in their family gracefully attiring themselves in Saree. The world of wefts, folds, patterns, texture and wearing styles which is 108 to be precise is a splendid thing to know. The modern ‘urban’ style of draping the garment was first adopted and popularised by Rabindranath Tagore’s sister-in-law. Saree has given a niche' identity to Indian fashion industry from the times immemorial. While traditionally Indian saree is worn on all formal and special occasions,the wearer finds a unique glory in wrapping up in it.
Their are innumerable types of it popularized according to various regions where they are made-
Northern styles

Banarasi silk saree from UP-wherein real gold,silver and bronze threads are used to adorn the most exquisite floral and geometrical patterns. Shalu saree from UP also comes under this category. The brocade work is a thing to preserve from one generation to another.
Western styles
Paithani – Maharashtra , Bandhani – Gujarat and Rajasthan .The bandhani print is now famous world wide , Kota doria Rajasthan, Lugade – Maharashtra ,Patola – Gujarat
Central stylesChanderi – Madhya Pradesh,Maheshwari – Madhya Pradesh, Kosa silk – Chattisgarh
Eastern Style
Tussar Silk – Bhagalpur area in Bihar is a hub of fine soft silk higly acclaimed all over ,Tangail cotton – Bangladesh,Jamdani – Bangladesh,Dhakai Benarasi –Bangladesh,Rajshahi Silk – Bangladesh,Mooga silk – Assam,Tant famous Bengali cotton – Shantipur. The village Shantipur is also a cradle of learning due to Shantiniketan-vishwabharti university in West Bengal,Dhaniakhali cotton – West Bengal,Murshidabad silk – West Bengal
Baluchari silk – West Bengal,Sambalpuri silk – Orissa ,Kotki (from Cuttack) – Orissa
Ikkat (from Orissa)
Southern styles
Kanchipuram (locally called Kanjivaram) – Tamil Nadu ,Coimbatore – Tamil Nadu,Chinnalapatti – Tamil Nadu,Chettinad – Tamil Nadu,Madurai – Tamil Nadu ,Arani – Tamil Nadu,Pochampally – Andhra Pradesh ,Venkatagiri – Andhra Pradesh,Gadwal – Andhra Pradesh,Guntur – Andhra Pradesh,Narayanpet – Andhra Pradesh,Mangalagiri – Andhra Pradesh,Balarampuram – KeralaMysore Silk – Karnataka,Ilkal saree – Karnataka .

Here’s the bottom line: whether you are an everyday wearer or a special-occasion wearer, or even someone who sees the sari as a work of tactile art, It is special for all!
It is something that India has given as an input to the world in terms of fashion. Where else will you find so much emotions,drama, flow, gracefulness and sophistication all entwined into one piece of garment simultaneously?

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Distressed aesthetics

Notice the distressed tattered denim which is making a comeback dynamically. Once upon a time youngsters wearing such stuffs were considered cynics and rebels. Brands like Levis, Diesel, Guess etc. made a huge profit by in cashing this uber young tendency of 'break free'. To break -then prevalent laws of decent clothing and carving a different identity was what governed youngster's choice in tattered distressed garment/outfits. This FAD continued for so long that it was given a status of a different style trend altogether. Initially what seemed to be an outlandish change, soon caught attention of not only teenagers but also grown ups. I am excluding decent blue denim jeans and white shirt combination from this category because that counts in classic evergreen fashion. It has been for so long within the fashion circles that fashionistas have almost stopped considering it an article of style. it is a basic necessity which every one has in the closet.

Coming back again to the denim outfitters, Jeans that was a casual clothing for daily wear is made to look extra ordinary and exaggerated by tattering it.
So the next time you see a torn pair of jeans don't start looking for sewing needle and thread to stitch it back. Instead, include one in your summer wardrobe . Go shopping! :)

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Patch Up!

This season is going to witness patch works as a major trend. Not only is this a picturesque trend due to possibility of seeing ample joyous colors , but also because it saves material while construction.

The number of panels/patches you have in your outfit, the scope of utilizing waste area of the fabric also increases[ well that may be from a designer's view because we believe in cost cutting] ,yet present trend supports our effort. :)

Seeing this in another perspective-

Biggest problems in our lives can be solved if we try and break it in small pieces and then solve it. Patching up can heal wounds effectively!

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The 'in' thing

• Fashion is as integrated and blended into the cup of social circumstances that any trivial fact also, gains a sporadic momentum to influence creators, appreciators, and shoppers at once.
• Young Fashion today is governed by functionality adding touch to the luxury par excellence value.
• Present season can witness some noticeable changes. With global economy tumbling down, the clothing styles have also sashayed to bare minimalism and simple straight lines. The preppy youth fashion moves away from the ubiquitous romanticism of last few seasons.
• Silhouettes are simple , straight cut, hemlines have decreased more, minis have become the next ‘it’ thing. The layering and buoyancy have been replaced with neat-tailored structured clothing. More innovative yet creative direction deepens its interest for round yet tapered shapes for comfort, using high performance fabrics.
• The color trends have also been averted to evergreen pastels, muted shades and neutrals and deliberate negligence of bold outlandish shades.
• It’s the reviving time, announcing the ethno- street transversalities, extra sueded softness or black-electric shine. Movement is the key concept, full of nostalgic and visionary élans.
• Classics are given a fresh spin with natural sophistication that flaunts sobriety and simplicity, with the re-vitalizing boost to the basics.
• The revival of old decades like 80’s, 70’s is clearly evident in power dressing suits, archaic inspiration, diligently combined with chaotic flow.
• The 3-d effect is all over the paradox with, precision as the key ‘mantra’
• The melodramatically exaggerated looks have been cut down to a personalized version with a space of one’s own. In a way this paves way for greater scope of creative innovation.

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