As I look at life

Let's take World Water Day seriously too!

There's enough hype created for several special days like Valentine's Day, Women's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day etc. Greeting cards, gift items, discounts on shopping, dining and hotels create the mood for these occasions days in advance. We all know it's marketing gimmick but don't we give in to the temptation? But when it comes to days marked for really important occasions, we are either unaware or don't bother.

Take for instance March 22, 2010. How many of you were aware that today is World Water Day?

But then, how would you know since you did not see Archies stores displaying Save Water cards and gifts during the weekend. You did not see any television ad on saving water. And neither did you have the front page of today's newspaper complete with a creative ad on the same!

I'd admit that I had no idea that today is World Water Day until I noticed the page 15 of The Times Of India dedicated to the Day. I think on Valentine's Day they have 2-3 pages of messages, in addition to various V-Day articles and ads, right?

Anyways, now that we know that today is World Water Day, let's do our bit in saving water today and always. A few days ago I had written some funny tips on saving water. But on a serious note, we all are well aware what all has to be done and it's about time we act really seriously.

2 pointers that we might have missed:

Does our housemaid keep the tap water running all the while she's washing utensils / clothes?
Are we digging a borewell without proper consultation / permission?

By the way UN-Water is dedicating World Water Day 2010 to the theme of water quality, reflecting its importance alongside quantity of the resource in water management. Read more here.

Here's hoping we all really contribute in saving water.

10 Behinds behind every successful woman

I've had my views on the quote "Behind every successful man is a woman."
I thought I'd create a few for women too. Here we go!

Behind every successful woman is her successful, boastful female friend.
Behind every successful woman is the increasing cost of cosmetics (or costmetics).
Behind every successful woman is her beauty.
Behind every successful woman is sour relationship / divorce.
Behind every successful woman is her mom pestering her to get married soon.
Behind every successful woman is her ex-boyfriend's current and rich girlfriend.
Behind every successful woman is competition by men.
Behind every successful woman is her shopaholic nature.
Behind every successful woman is her desire to prove "women are better than men".
Behind every successful woman is a man who truly, madly, deeply loves her (on a serious note).

10 behinds behind every successful man

"Behind every successful man is a woman."

I came across this quote once again today and thought it's about time we look at it again. So I'm getting back to my favorite hobby - creating quotable quotes / funny versions of quotes. Here are my versions of the quote that might be applicable today:

Behind every successful man is his insecure boss.
Behind every successful man is a man (his gay partner).
Behind every successful man is his woman's male friend he's jealous of.
Behind every successful man is his team who actually works while he takes away the credit.
Behind every successful man is his age.
Behind every successful man is his home loan.
Behind every successful man is sheer chance.
Behind every successful man is competition.
Behind every successful man is media.
Behind every successful man is a woman who'd have otherwise been successful if he had been behind her ;)

Now should I replace "every successful man" with "many successful men"? (in the above sentences of course ;))

Next in queue (On the occasion of Women's Day): Behind every successful woman

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7 Cool tips to save water on a regular basis

Don’t bathe on weekends when you intend to stay at home. The stink will keep uninvited guests away.
Don’t wash your hair regularly, try braids or buns. Or go for a taklu (bald) avatar… you’d save lot of water, shampoo, conditioner, time and money.
When thirsty, opt for alcohol (neat).
Cook non-spicy food. Avoid drinking extra water in the name of chillies.
Don’t eat / drink more than you need to survive. This way, you won’t have to visit the washroom frequently and you’ll save the water in the flush.
Don’t mop the floors daily. Opt for a jungle look for your house.
Repeat the same jeans for a week or two before washing. Trust me, no one can make out. Dump it in the washing machine only after you notice people holding their nose when you approach them.

On a serious note, c'mon we all know how to save water. It's time we act!

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2010 - An enriching experience

If you ask me to describe my experience at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2010 in one word, I won't ever be able to do so. It was like the entire area had come to life, as if Mumbai was talking to us!

I reached Kala Ghoda with my mother (second time visitor) and mom-in-law (first time visitor) and we were more than thrilled.

The installations near the iconic Kala Ghoda were so lifelike! You got to be there to see those lovely pieces of art. Elephants, giraffe, lion, deer, monkey... captivated kids and adults alike and we all couldn't help but pose with the animals.

Our lives have been so hectic all these years. When was the last time we went to a wildlife safari / zoo? When was the last time we saw these animals? Are there enough of them left now? Is the concrete jungle eating into the real jungle?

Equally impressive were the installations near Jehangir Art Gallery. And then this time there were several stalls selling beautiful plants. How we thought of purchasing a few but had to resist the temptation since we had to travel back all the way to Navi Mumbai!

We headed to NGMA to watch Munshi Premchand ki kahaniyaan. Three artists performed an act on bonded labour and how! You much catch up with these plays when you hit Kala Ghoda.

Next we watched Bhatarnatyam and Kathak performances at the amphitheatre. Trust me, watching these dances on television is nothing close to watching them live.

After watching the play and the dances (and even the paintings at Jehangir Art Gallery) one thought still keeps lingering on my mind... why did I not learn all this? Well, I guess it's never too late. Might join painting classes soon.

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Attending Mumbai's Kala Ghoda Arts Festival today

I try to attend the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival every year. Last year, however, I missed it due to my work hours. But today, I am very excited. Now that I am at home, I can attend the festival at leisure!

So today, I am all set to hit Kala Ghoda Arts Festival with my mom and mom-in-law. It's always tough to decide what to check out and what to skip out there. After all, it's all very interesting... the dances, the films, the stalls, the music, the visual arts, you name it! What have we finalized

I'll keep you posted with my experience and photographs once I'm back!

Btw, if you are looking for the daily schedule of the festival, follow this link.

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2008 photos.
My experience at the festival in 2008.

Solar eclipse / Surya Grahan January 2010 timing in Indian cities

The longest solar eclipse of the century will be witnessed on January 15 2010. The solar eclipse will be seen in India between 11 in the morning and until around 3:15 pm.

Here are the timings of the solar eclipse across various cities in India:

Agartala - solar eclipse starts at 12.16 am and ends at 3.35 pm
Agra - solar eclipse timing 11.57
Ahmedabad - solar eclipse starts at 11.27 and ends at 3.04 pm
Allahabad - solar eclipse timing 11.57
Amritsar - solar eclipse starts at 11.55 and ends at 3.03 pm
Bangalore - solar eclipse timing 11.17
Bhopal - solar eclipse timing 11.44
Chandigarh - solar eclipse starts at 11.57 am and ends at 3.08 pm
Delhi - solar eclipse starts at 11.53 and ends at 3.11 pm
Dwarka - solar eclipse timing 11.16
Gandhinagar - solar eclipse timing 11.28
Guwahati - eclipse starts at 12.20 am and ends at 3.05 pm
Indore - solar eclipse timing 11.38
Jalandhar - solar eclipse timing 11.55
Jhansi - solar eclipse timing 11.46
Kanpur - solar eclipse timing 11.57
Kolkata - solar eclipse timing 12.07
Lucknow - solar eclipse timing 11.58
Madurai - eclipse starts at 11.12 am and ends at 3.09 pm
Meerut - solar eclipse timing 11.54
Mumbai - eclipse starts at 11.17 am and ends at 3.05 pm
Patna - solar eclipse timing 12.05
Pune - solar eclipse timing 11.19
Shimla - eclipse starts at 11.59 am and ends at 3.08 pm
Srinagar - solar eclipse timing 12.02
Thiruvananthapuram - solar eclipse timing 11.35
Kanyakumari - eclipse starts at 11.06 and ends at 3.06 pm

Why do we never wish "HAPPY NEW MONTH"?

New Year is approaching and everyone around is looking at innovative ways to wish a happy New Year. A thought just occured to my mind - Why do we never wish "HAPPY NEW MONTH"?