Alone We Can Do So Little Together We Can Do So Much

It was a varied group comprising of both men and women tied together by the bonds of blogging that met on the warm summer afternoon on Saturday the 30^th of March at the Times of India, Mumbai Office organized by IndiBlogger to discuss the issues affecting women following the recent cases of abuse and need for safety under “Mumbai For Women” initiative. The discussion focused the city’s duty towards the female populace irrespective of their social standings and age.

From teenagers to senior citizens, to women who are homemakers and breadwinners and even men sharing horrifying incidents happening to colleagues and relatives sparked off the discussion. Not just deserted or shoddy lanes but even busy roads, local trains and platforms are common target areas. In a matter of few seconds everything dissipated but just one question, “Is this really an Independent India where women are neither safe in broad daylight nor after the night lights are out?” remained unanswered.

According to the graphs and reports, Mumbai is by far the safest city for women. But is this what we really are aiming for, safety in the name of submission? And yet in spite of Mumbai being termed safer there are still cases of manhandling, rape, sexual harassment to name a few on daily basis. It is barbaric to know that age doesn’t matter when it comes to being a victim. “I feel safe in other countries but not my own,” said one female travel blogger. While another blogger, narrated a grab and run case that happened with his wife just outside a busy railway station.

When we say safety, it’s not just linked to the upper class of the society but to even the lower one. Not to forget, there is still a section of society that lives below the poverty line where there are hardly means of earning a livelihood let alone ensuring safety for women. Bridging this gap between the middle class and poor is easier said than done. Inculcating the boys with equality, teaching them they are not superior to women but equal on every front is the need of the hour.

There are so many cases where the wife who is the sole breadwinner of the family gets beaten by her husband whenever he is drunk, moreover she accepts this and says, “He loves me he is just a little put off as he is drunk and I don’t make more money.” And this is not just the story of a maid this even happens in upper class houses but women are afraid to speak wherein they should break their silence.

All this liberation and unity can only be attained by education, still how many of us who are educated are willing to step out of our comfort zone volunteering to teach and guide these people? There are only a few handful of people willing to help, rest of them just blame the system.

Time and again the police forces, the government and even the railway police are blamed for lack of adequate security, helpline numbers et al. What people really need to understand at this stage is that, the system is what we make of it and not what it makes us. There might be some petty officials who are corrupt but not everyone is the same. “Some days back my friend forgot her laptop in train, she immediately called the Railway Helpline number 9833331111 and to her relief she got back her laptop back within an hour,” said a fellow TOI employee during the discussion. Another quoted, “I travel by train daily and I once noticed that the railway helpline number written on the inside of the compartment was scratched yet the various meaningless posters that are put up were left untouched.” If, this is the attitude of citizens then what help would the government officials be? It’s high time the blame game is stopped and even citizens take their duty seriously.

When you see something wrong, raise your hands and stop it. At the same time when someone does a good thing encourage and reward them. Appreciation and motivation go a long way thereby making people responsible. Change is inevitable and it begins in small steps. Encourage the Times Of India, Mumbai For Women initiative and also look out for the Job Fair for women at R A Podar College, Matunga(CR), Mumbai on the 6^th and 7^th of April between 10am to 5pm.

 Mumbai, the city of dreams bustling with busy life racing against time, where people don’t have enough time to stand and stare has finally come together and joined hands for the safety and betterment of women.

Today it is one city tomorrow it will the entire nation. Let us be the change, we wish to see. As Helen Keller said, “Alone we can do so little together we can do so much.”

Mischief Managed

Far away in a land of dreams

You get what you wish

With a swish and flick

You wave your wand

Changing your hairstyle

From Modern to traditional

Wavy to smooth

And get the perfect straight hair!

I was happy with my long lustrous wavy locks but looking around it seemed everyone was into straight. All I got to hear was, “I got the perfect smooth and silky hair” and it drove me crazy. Alas! We don't live in a magical world and so we've got no wands and potions to change hairstyles without any hassle, so this year on Eid I decided to venture into this unknown arena with my new found obsession of getting straight hair  off course without magic. Being low on budget I couldn't even afford going to a parlor so I thought of ‘Do-It-Yourself’ though I had no idea what to do and how to go about it.

To begin with I spent hours thinking of a simple yet effective way to tame my curls, it was then that the iron yes the device that you straighten your rumpled clothes with came to my rescue. Though it was a risky job I was up for it.

Since it was not a single person job, my younger sister assisted my in this wacky experimentation.

Having washed and dried my hair of excess water, I brushed my hair a bit so that they do not tangle. Once I was done with this, I applied a Heat Tamer spray to keep my hair safe from damage and I was glad that I do watch the idiot box called television as I had seen the advertisement of the product there. Coming back, once I was done with this I placed a fluffy towel on the flat iron board and lay my head on the towel spreading my hair and again covering my hair with a thinner cloth. Once this was done, my sister very carefully slid the iron atop my hair as if ironing the clothes. After a minute or two and I couldn't believe my hair were no more wavy but flowing smoothly. And to retain the longevity and getting the frizz under control I applied some hair spray.

Ultimately after, such a simple yet tedious process I got the perfect straight hair. And what’s more awesome is it didn't take much time and is home effective.

In fact, I tried another technique my mom's secret and simple recipe for straight hair. Apply warm mustard oil overnight so that the hair soaks the oil. Wash hairs the next day with water do not use shampoo while washing. Air dry your hair, once this is done oil your hair with the same mustard oil again. Leave it oiled for a day. This time wash your hair with a mild shampoo and cold water as it leaves a shiny effect on the hair after drying. Allow your hair to dry naturally. And Tada! you will find your hair to be smooth, shiny and straight! But you need to do this procedure twice a month, easy and feasible isn't it. :)

The third and final option I tried last month , though it was not this much effective neither the effects long lasting but it is a quick quick method. All you got to do is, after washing once the hair are slightly dry tie them tightly for a while. After an hour or so open them up and place heavy books atop them while you lie down and get a power nap. At least being an engineering student I have loads of heavy books and want loads of sleep so no worries!

This post is a part of The Perfect Straight Hair Experiment Contest ~ Sunsilk on IndiBlogger

Melbourne Magic

"Memories are like an oasis in the desert sand of time !"

It all started on a sunny morning on 25^th of November the life altering day of my life when I and my brother suddenly whisked off our schedule as he surprised me with a trip as my birthday gift and all he said was "it's your time to visit Melbourne NOW!" There was excitement, there was nervousness and with these two as a couple we headed off to experience the exquisite Melbourne.

Dunno where to begin from, the journey to Exquisite Melbourne and back home was nothing short of dreamy! This being my first air journey I was both excited and nervous; with a million questions squirming added with the imaginary beings having a tribal dance in my head. The internal debate finally dissolved after a 10 hour long journey and what came next was something I just can’t describe in words. The fun and frolic was something I’ve never experienced before and that too from my serious brother.

If, I try to write everything down then this post will overflow but there have been places and moments that I can’t help but remember and pen it down.

Gleaming in its Victorian Heritage and Modern lifestyle, this city is referred as “Garden City” and “Cultural capital of Australia”. Buzzing with eclectic and urban lifestyle, it is the most livable city and too me it’s loveable too!

We arrived in the wee hours of morning though tired we felt the subtle sun rise in the dull morning sky whilst travelling to our staying place, the Rendezvous Hotel.

Breakfast was a small affair after which we left for our journey ahead. On the way, we met a nice gentleman, a local of the city who told us about various sites. The narrow lanes, the long walks, the pristine atmosphere and the breath of fresh air greeted us on the way to Melbourne Visitor Centre for maps and free brochures.

After gathering the necessary information we headed off to, NVG Australia: Ian Potter Centre, the first public art museum dedicated to Australian art. 

Arts and History has always fascinated me and I was thrilled to see such beautiful paintings and drawings depicting an entirely different culture from the one I grew up in.

After spending about an hour there, we headed off to our next destination Melbourne Aquarium. Our journey began from Antarctica the starting point that housed the cute Penguins followed by the Weird and Wonderful creatures like sea jellies, sea horses and a variety of others. 

The River to Reef section housed animals like frogs, crabs, snakes and sea jellies depicting the wonderful marine life. The Southern Ocean was the last stop in the aquarium that included Sharks and other fishes.

Girls and shopping go hand in hand and so our next stop was the Victoria Market. I was surprised when I noticed that it was not just a typical market where you got fresh produce but also clothing and stuff. The cool air was wafting ruffling our hair though not snapping the smiles of our face. Walking down the road we were spell bound by the cheery and vibrant atmosphere in the market.  

We were famished and so our next stop was Bambini Barrista, were we had a cuppa of freshly brewed coffee and sandwiches. It was there that my bro surprised me with a Happy Birthday chocolate cake and the local crowd also wished me, this is what I remember as our “Golden Moment of the Trip.”

Having sated our souls with a delicious meal we moved to our next destination, the Medibank Icehouse. ice It’s Australia’s latest world class ice sports and entertainment venue. It was fun there, as I being a clumpy girl slipped a few times but all in good mood.  

When I finally thought this is the end of my eventful day, but my brother surprised me once again and we headed off to our last destination, Eureka Skydeck 88. The view from the top of the tower was awe aspiring. We clicked a few snaps of the beautiful sky with different shades of golden, blue and hues of pink finally settling to a dark black with the night lights gleaming down the city.

Having seen that and visiting some of the places we could cover in our mini getaway, we headed back to our hotel for a night stay and boarded a flight back to our India the next morning, treasuring a beautiful experience that will forever be etched in the crevices of our minds and hearts. And this trip was made easier due to  www.visitmelbourne.com/in. 

This post is part of contest 

it's your time to visit Melbourne NOW! on Indiblogger.

-Fatima