Woman's Era June - 2022

(REGISTERED) RNI 25561/1973 DL(C)-14/1417/2021-23 P.O. SRT Nagar, ND-55. Posting Dt. 03 to 10. Published on 01/06/2022. Pgs. 116.
MAY 2022 ` 100

JUNE
WOMANʼS ERA
MARRIAGE
AS A VERB
FINDING
HUMOUR YOUR LOVE
IN FORCE
SECOND
LOVE BEYOND INNINGS
REALITY
LIFE IN
ADORE YOUR
IMPERFECTION ONE SHOT
JUNE 2022
LIVELY
FLAUNTING LAUGHTER
FLARES
HEALTHY SKIN POPUP

LIFESTYLE
MOTHERING
10+
DELIGHTFUL
THE ORPHANS RECIPES
JUNE 2022
Vol 49, Issue No. 1126
womansera.com BUILDS HAPPY HOMES
Articles
12 16 22 24
TACKLING DRY SKIN
BY SUMAN BAJPAI
NO PROBLEM
BY SAVITA SINGH
KEY TO REAL FRIENDS
BY ANSHIKA SHARMA
IMPERFECT IS PERFECT
BY KASTURI RANGACHARI
86
28 FINDING MR RIGHT 99 LABOUR PAIN OR
BY I M SONI COVID PAIN?
BY PAVITHRA RAMESH
32 27TH KOLKATA
INTERNATIONAL FILM 100 THE SEVEN
FESTIVAL YEAR ITCH
BY SUDIPTO MULLICK BY ANITA CHOUDHARY PUT OFF SAYING
SAYONARA
44 DON’T GIVE UP 108 LAUGH BY SUJATHA RAO
YOUR VALUES TO LIVE
BY ANJU JHA BY SHALAN SAVUR
48 CONTEMPORARY
84
AURA OF STORY
TELLING
50 ME AND MY
WONDER CHARACTER
BY S ANSHIKA
64 MARRIAGE IS NOT

LOVE AT 50
70
A NOUN
BY SEEMA NIRUPAM BY USHA WADHWA
Cookery
54
80 SEEDS OF GREAT
HEALTH
BY APARNA PRADHAN
92 MAAI: MOTHER TO FACING THE WORLD DROOL OVER LICIOUS

ORPHANS CALMLY CUISINE!
BY KAUSHIK JOSHI BY SHAILZA
l Baked Lasagne
74
l Fusion Salad With Cheese
l Baked Cannelloni
l Orecchiette With Olives
l Half Moon Cheese
l Brinjal Relish
l Pepperoni Peperonata
POP UP YOUR l Veg Grains Salad
GLOW l Baked Gnocchi
BY ANJALI KOCHCHAR
l Fritters With Yogurt
l Cheesy Skewers
l Fettuccine With Cream And
Tomato
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20 PERSONAL PROBLEM
26 YOUR BODY
30 YOU CAN LOOK
BEYOND (POEM)
67 HOW I SAVED MY
MARRIAGE
83 HOW I MET MY
HUSBAND
90 KITCHEN QUERIES
6 Fiction
95 TEENACHE
98 HUBBIES HOWLERS
103 GRATEFULLY YOURS 72 WHAT HARRY MEANT 104 THE SHED
106 CHILD CHALLENGES TO LIZ BY PADMAJA MENON
CINEPLEX
114 AS YOU SAY BY ELSA LYCIAS JOES
Features 96 BEARING A BURDEN

Fashion
BY A S FRANCIS
78
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EDITORIAL
Messy LIC IPO against the Chinese investments into Indian companies.
Finance minister Sitharaman should be held We may have stopped China in time from plundering our
responsible for the fiasco of the LIC-IPO listing. Financial small companies and start-ups.
pundits will endorse that the decision on the IPO listing
was erratic and taken at a time when the entire world Fiction Fights History
economy had been under war, political crisis and energy Audit of the religious places in the hands of judiciary is
imbalances. Even the currencies all over the world are a tricky thing within the Constitution which is secular, and
in a tumble. The listing of the LIC IPO only highlights the a democracy which thrives on dividing its electorate for
plight of the government run institutions, which, for so votes by the fear of religious sanctions, often delivered
long, have only swallowed the wealth of the common in a populist speech by the ruling parties. Going by this
man and did not deliver profits. They do provide a sense paradigm, it is safe to say that India is a Hindu state and
of security to the common investor, but at no level do that the Hindus in India shall thrive better. An opportunity
they provide an opportunity for growth, creation of was given to other religions at the time of independence
wealth or creation of enterprise if they are invested into. by the British to choose their territory; and perhaps,
Also, one fails to think why would the government wish destiny as well. Most of them did. Some of them did not
to divest for such a small sum of money in government- for economic reasons and for reasons of family. To go
owned companies, which in any case are going to be run hundreds of years back, it can safely be said that buildings
by the government officials and the board of directors is which were once constructed or constructed again
going to have a little say over the PMO. with the previously used material, were constructed by
plundering the then existing
Roads to Insolvency buildings. Like, Delhi has a
Cash strapped Sri Lanka serial history of forts. The
can safely be declared a reality is that each new fort
victim of Chinese aggression. was built by scavenging or
Had they not let the Chinese plundering the earlier fort. We
infiltrate their borders for cannot dwell into history and
using their port facilities in say that a temple was built
parts or in whole, the island on this mosque or vice versa,
nation would have never since it was, at that moment
faced such a plight as it is in time, either the need of
facing now. Sri Lankans’ the hour, or the building had
love for foreign goods and been abandoned due to shift
brands prevented them from in population, or decided by
building anything indigenous. a majority that the building
Discounting everything on be converted for a certain
regional imbalance and Tamil militancy, the population other faith. To review or to revisit it now is a foul play
and the industry have safely gone abroad for shopping on history itself. To put it simply, if a castle of a Rajwada
without understanding that building ‘things’ within the was converted into a hotel in the present times, since
country is what runs the country and gives the country its that is the need of the hour or the call of society, or
own dominion along with a value to its currency. China simply a financial deal, would it be called and seen by the
has played well all-around India. It has reaches through community as a religious misdemeanour. It is a glorious
Pakistan to the Karachi Port and parts of the Sri Lankan decision of the apex and high court to refer the matter
ports, with military rights. But in the process, it has to District Court, which will be more in sync with the local
forgotten that the very lands it may want to command conditions to understand whether a mosque had been
will be perishing under their own weight. Even after debt built atop a temple. No matter what the findings, there
settlement, Sri Lanka will never be able to rise on their will be a controversy and the more popular religion will
feet and will always be dependent on imports. The price win. Nothing new about this since this has been going
of Sri Lankan rupee against Dollar will always be under on for hundreds of years, ever since humans divided
stress and the population will now get poorer with each population into religion, caste and sect, for the benefit of
passing fiscal. The next in line could be Nepal, since it the ruling classes.
follows the same Chinese direction as did Sri Lanka and On the ending note, Congress is again at its wit, since
Pakistan. As we are all aware, Pakistan is on the brink. a lot many leaders young and old have moved, culling the
Sooner or later, whenever the Chinese government and party of any revival. The latest news on Elon Musk being
banks step in, you are pretty sure that bankruptcy will be funded by the Saudis for takeover of one of the largest
round the corner. Speaking of Chinese investments, India media companies on the planet could be worrisome.
has taken a categorical step, which is much cherished editor@womansera.com We
Woman’s Era ● June 2022 5
CINEPLEX Katrina Kaif Returns To Mumbai
After A Romantic Trip To
New York With Vicky Kaushal
A
fter some great couple
goals, Katrina Kaif and
Vicky Kaushal have
finally ended their New York
sojourn. Katrina shared a
glimpse of her moments with
Vicky from New York. They
have been enjoying their time
there since the couple arrived
in the city. The images seem to
be clicked on a rooftop, with
high-raised buildings behind
them. Vicky can be seen hugging
Katrina from behind in one
photo and kissing her in the
second.
Shahid Kapoor Keeps Thinking

About ‘Mi Amor’ Mira Rajput
During His Europe Trip
S
hahid Kapoor, took out
time from his trip to Europe
to write a sweet note for
his wife Mira. The actor said
that he has been missing Mira,
the love of his life, even as he
spends his best time during
the trip. Shahid is accompanied
on the trip by his brother and
actors Ishaan Khatter and Kunal
Kemmu along with other friends.
From Bollywood... Bhool Bhulaiya 2: Movie Marks
Big-Time Opening; Reveals
K
artik Aaryan, Kiara Kartik’s Charisma
Advani and Tabu’s
film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2
makes a new record as this is
the biggest opening of Kartik
Aaryan’s own career. His
previous film Love Aaj Kal took
an opening of Rs 12 crore. The
film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 has been
released on about 3200 screens
across the country. Anees
Bazmee who directed film
breaks the record of Akshay
Kumar’s Bachchan Pandey,
which was thought of as the
greatest opening 2022 up to
this point.
Siddharth Shukla’s Last Song

‘Jeena Zaroori Hai’ makes,
Fans Emotional!
W
ith the release of this
song titled ‘Jeena
Zaroori Hai’, fans
will once again be able to see
their favourite star on screen.
Siddharth’s fans became
emotional as soon as this song
is released. Commenting on
the song, his fans were seen
remembering the actor and
calling him King. Apart from
Siddharth Shukla, actor Vishal
Kotian, who was seen in Bigg
Boss 15, is seen in the song.
Releasing the song, actors Vishal
Kotian, Suresh Bhanushali and
Photofit Music paid tribute to
the late actor.
Woman’s Era ● May 2022 3
Kanika Kapoor and Gautam
Tied The Knot, Pictures
Went Viral!
S
inger Kanika Kapoor, who
became famous in every
house hold with the song
Baby Doll, has tied the knot with
Gautam. Their wedding rituals
took place in London and the
couple’s first wedding photo
has also surfaced, in which they
both look very cute together.
While Kanika is wreaking havoc
as a bride, the groom Gautam is
also giving a tough competition
to his wife in terms of looks.
A
yushmann sang many
Ayushmann Khurrana Opens Up famous songs like the
hit number Naina Da
On Distancinng From Singing! Kya Kasoor, Kishore Kumar’s
song Hume Tumse Pyaar Kitna,
and his song Pani Da on The
Kapil Sharma Show on Sony
Entertainment. According to
news, when Ayushmann was
asked why he is not so keen
on composing songs now, he
replied, “These songs were
written when I was in college
and have now been released.
Now, I don’t have time to do
that. I was doing theatre in
college, and this one was good
exercise. We used to write our
own lines and our own stories
for theatre.”
S
eema Khan, the fashion
designer of Bollywood Seema Khan Removes “Khan” On
and Sohail Khan’s wife,
has changed her name on social Social Media Handle After Filing
media. By removing “Khan” Divorce!
from her name, she returned
to her first name, Seema Kiran
Sajdeh. A few days back, she
was spotted with her husband,
actor and producer Sohail Khan,
at a family court in Mumbai.
The two were reportedly filing a
divorce petition.
Madhavan’s Film “Rocketry”

Gets ‘Standing Ovation’ At
Cannes Film Festival!
R
Madhavan, the famous
actor of Indian cinema,
was also seen attending
this festival, and his upcoming
film Rocketry The Nambi Effect
got premiered at the Cannes
Film Festival. Expressing
his gratitude on this special
occasion of premeir, Madhavan
expressed his gratitude on
social media. Famous composer
and singer AR Rahman praised
Madhavan on Twitter for his
film.
A
fter the tremendous
success of her
autobiography, Neena
Gupta is expected to transform
her story into a biopic. She
has shared what she thinks
about it. Neena Gupta opened
up that she is in talks with
people who have taken an
interest in transforming her
autobiography Sach Kahun Toh
into a film. Neena revealed
various unknown details for an
unclarified glimpse into her life,
behind and beyond stardom.
Her book was an appreciable hit
and soon might debut on the
big screen.
Neena Gupta Is In Talks With
Filmmakers For Her Biopic!
Pooja Hegde Flaunts

Salman Khan’s Lucky Bracelet
Wearing In Her Hand!
T
he most fascinating
thing with regards to the
image shared by actress
Pooja Hegde on her Instagram
is that the actress is seen
wearing Salman Khan’s lucky
wristband. She is seen flaunting
this bracelet. Additionally,
while giving information about
the beginning of the shooting
of Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali, she
stated, “shoot begins”. Salman
Khan always wears his lucky
bracelet, so its appearance in
Pooja Hegde’s hand has turned
into a whispering topic.
6 Woman’s Era ● May 2022
Tackling
Dry Skin
Tips you can use. By Suman Bajpai
D
oes your skin feel tight every “Use an effective sunscreen lotion if you find your skin feeling dry,
time you wash your face? or moisturiser twice a day. A good the first thing you need to do is to
Or is it prone to getting fine sunscreen must have some SPF or change your soap.
lines easily? If so, then do you have sun protection factor in it. The SPF “Use a glycerin or super-fatted
dry skin? Simply moisturising or is defined as the capacity of the soap, which is a neutral cleansing bar.
slathering it with heavy creams won’t sunscreen to protect the skin from Super-fatted soaps have additional
solve the problem. the sun’s rays. Our climate requires moisturising agents and are not
The reason: dry skin can be an SPF of about 30 or more,” opines alkaline, and hence do not dehydrate
caused by numerous factors that a beauty expert. the skin,” says a dermatologist.
include poor eating habits, cosmetics
and even your genes. Each factor Soaps Cosmetics
warrants a different solution. Harsh soaps are also responsible Often, when cosmetics like
Here’s what causes dry skin and for drying skin. Soap by composition moisturisers, toners or a foundation
how you can treat it. has to be alkaline, although the doesn’t suit you, your skin may start
degree of alkalinity varies in different showing signs of dryness, which may
Pollution and UV rays soaps. The pH scale of normal skin is mark the onset of an allergic reaction
These are the two main reasons below seven, which makes it slightly to them. This could happen because
for dry and parched skin. The UV rays acidic. Hence, if the soap is too some of the ingredients in the beauty
of the sun have markedly increased alkaline, where the pH scale is above product may not complement your
in intensity over the last few years. seven, it can dry the skin. skin type. So learn to understand the
These rays don’t just dry the skin by Avoid using perfumed soaps language of your skin.
robbing it of its moisture content, as they are more likely to dry your When you find your skin drying,
but also lead to early and premature skin compared to normal soaps on first change the soap. If your skin
wrinkling as well. account of chemical additives. So, doesn’t return to its normal state
12 Woman’s Era ● June 2022
in about eight or 10 days, then MAKE SURE YOU
moisturise, and use one that is
especially for dry skin. As a general FEED THE SKIN
rule, use cosmetics only made by FROM THE INSIDE.
reputed manufacturers. HAVE GOOD
You also need to check your
cosmetics to see if they are
NUTRITION WITH
formulated for your skin type before FRESH VEGETABLES
using them. AND FRUITS FOR
Use a quality exfoliation product
to remove dry and/or dead skin cells.
VITAMINS THAT
By removing the old cells, you will TAKE CARE OF THE
expose the healthy cells and may be SKIN. GOOD FATS
better able to fight against nature’s ARE IMPORTANT
harmful effects.
TOO, FOR EXAMPLE
Heredity FLAX SEEDS AND
Your genetic make-up could WALNUTS. MAKE
influence the type of skin you have.
Dryness in such cases is a regular
SURE YOU GET
fixture right from childhood. PLENTY OF FIBRE
Generally, people who suffer from AND WATER.
dry skin on account of heredity
factors are also prone to allergies.
Use a moisturising soap or body For Extra Care...
wash, preferably one which is pH l Make sure you feed the skin of the barrel (literally) and
balanced. There are a wide range from the inside. Have good form a barrier so that your skin
of moisturisers and cold creams nutrition with fresh vegetables cannot breathe.
available in the market today. Use and fruits for vitamins that take l Use a humidifier, especially in
one that suits you and relieves your care of the skin. the bedroom.
dryness. Good fats are important too, for l Add one teaspoonful of
The effect of any moisturiser or example flax seeds and walnuts. lemon juice and honey to two
cold cream will double when used Make sure you are not allergic tablespoons of apple paste.
immediately after a hot water bath. to anything. Get plenty of fibre Apply this paste to your face,
You can also moisturise your skin and water. neck and hands and wash after
by having an oil massage, using l Pat your skin dry, do not rub it. 20 minutes. Use this pack once
sunflower or olive oil, twice or thrice Make sure the towels have been in a week for good results.
a month. washed with skin-friendly soaps l Mix a few drops of lemon to a
Apart from these causes, dry or detergent. teaspoonful of warm olive oil.
skin can also be an indication of an l For cracked hands, the first Apply this mixture to your face
internal disorder. A common problem thing is to protect them and neck and wash off it after
that one encounters is a protein against water use and extreme 20 minutes.
deficiency, which often leads to dry temperatures. Wear gloves l Mix three drops of lemon juice
skin. when washing. Use fatty soaps to one teaspoonful of milk
A lot of the current fad diets that and rinse lightly. Lotions are cream. Apply this mixture to
advocate avoiding milk and protein okay but balms are the best. If your face before taking a bath.
can also lead to dull and dry skin. your lotion isn’t working, try This pack softens the dry skin.
Hormonal problems like balms which are oil or plant l Mix egg yolk, rose water, lime
hypothyroidism, some drugs like based without all the extra stuff juice, olive oil and orange
accutane that are used to treat acne, that creates lotions. juice (one teaspoon each)
and, though a rare occurrence, some l For those cracked heels, do all thoroughly. Apply a smooth
internal cancers like lymphomas can of the above and do the same mixture of these ingredients to
also cause dry skin. as far as balm and sleeping at your face in the morning and
It’s also surprising that although night in socks. Use balms during wash it off after 20 minutes.
water is very important for skin, the day as well. Do not use l A face mask of honey, egg, olive
reducing its intake rarely causes dry petroleum or Vaseline. These oil and rose water works very
skin, unless the person is medically are products from the bottom well for dry skin. We
dehydrated.
Why
Whyisis
vaccination
vaccinationthe
the
best
bestprevention?
prevention?
Dr.Ranjan
Dr.RanjanKumar
KumarPejaver
Pejaver
FRCP, FRCPCH(UK),
FRCP, FNNF,
FRCPCH(UK), FIAP
FNNF, FIAP
Immediate
Immediate Past President National
Past President of Neonatology
of National NeonatologyForum of India
Forum (NNF)
of India (NNF)
Past Chairperson
Past of Neonatology
Chairperson Chapter
of Neonatology of Indian
Chapter Academy
of Indian Academyof Pediatrics (IAP)
of Pediatrics (IAP)
Chief Neonatologist,
Chief People
Neonatologist, Tree
People at Meenakshi
Tree Hospitals,
at Meenakshi Bengaluru,
Hospitals, India
Bengaluru, India
Immunization is one
Immunization is oneof of
thethe
most effective
most andand
effective safe ways
safe of of
ways protecting children
protecting children
from potentially
from potentiallylife-threatening illnesses
life-threatening andand
illnesses infectious disease
infectious outbreaks.
disease A A
outbreaks.
vaccine is an
vaccine inactive
is an or weakened
inactive version
or weakened of aofparticular
version organism
a particular that
organism stimulates
that stimulates
thethe
immune
immune system to to
system produce antibodies
produce antibodieswithout
withoutcausing thethe
causing actual disease.
actual disease.
Thus,
Thus,a vaccine strengthens
a vaccine strengthensyour child’s
your natural
child’s defense
natural system
defense to to
system fight that
fight that
specific infection
specific in in
infection thethe
future faster
future fasterandand
better. Vaccines
better. Vaccinesoffer life-saving
offer life-saving
protection against
protection childhood
against childhoodillnesses
illnesseslikelike
tetanus, measles,
tetanus, polio,
measles, andand
polio, many
many
others - ensuring
others a healthy
- ensuring andand
a healthy quality lifelife
quality forfor
your child.
your child.
While wewe
While all all
know that
know prevention
that is always
prevention better
is always than
better cure,
than thethe
cure, best way
best of of
way
prevention is undoubtedly
prevention vaccination.
is undoubtedly vaccination.
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NO
Problem
How Jugaad is used by our
armed personnel. By Savita Singh
O
ur Indian Army is one of the best
armies in the world. The American
forces may have the best and the
latest armament, the Russians the latest
and best missiles, and the Chinese may
be greater in number. But no one can
beat our army where improvisation or
jugaadupan is concerned.
Some of the biggest armies of the
world have been known to have come to a
standstill because of the lack of some small
component of their best armament which
either went missing or was destroyed. It
is like the Americans left their best planes,
tanks and armed cars in Afganistan minus
the keys to them.
The Taliban, with no knowledge
about how to use or activate them, just
destroyed most of arsenal. What a waste.
Had it been our troops they would have
probably said, ‘No keys? No problem.’ And
they would have used some jugaad to use
the treasure trove of arsenal left behind.
Our officers and men have always used
their brains and improvised and done
wonders. Let me tell you some of the true
stories. Of course, I cannot disclose the
exact location or give names for obvious
reasons.
It was somewhere in the forward areas
in Ladakh. The regiment had just come
down from the glacier and not yet settled
down properly when ADM (administrative)
inspection was declared.
They had six offices but only
enough furniture to furnish two.
What was to be done? When the
young officers came to know they
said, ‘No problem.’
While the ADM inspection was
going on, the CO’s wife noticed
some jawans rushing along carrying
furniture from one place to another.
When she inquired what was
happening they told her. ‘Madam ji,
poorti kar rahain hain’ (we are filling
in the gap).
What they meant was that
immediately the Brigade commander THE TALIBAN, WITH
left the first office to inspect the NO KNOWLEDGE
next, all its furniture was quickly
transferred to the third office. Then
ABOUT HOW TO
while he was inspecting the third USE THEM OR
office, the furniture from the second ACTIVATE THEM, JUST
office was shifted to the fourth and
so on.
DESTROYED MOST
Not only the furniture but as even OF ARSENAL. WHAT
students for various classes being A WASTE. HAD IT
held in the regiment were less in BEEN OUR TROOPS
number, quite a few were repeated
in more than one class. Everyone THEY WOULD HAVE
hoped the Brigade Commander PROBABLY SAID, ‘NO
would not recognise any of the KEYS? NO PROBLEM.’ Hours passed but there was no
students who were repeated. Divisional Commander. It was hours
Once, a welcome arch was being
AND THEY WOULD past lunch time and by that time
built by a regiment to welcome the HAVE USED SOME the Commanding Officer was very
corps commander and the first lady JUGAAD TO USE THE worried. Where had the general
of the regiment, who had gone along TREASURE TROVE OF vanished to? They had tried to
contact him by radio but it was one
with her husband to take a look at
it, saw that it was rather lopsided. ARSENAL LEFT BEHIND. of those days when no radio signals
She pointed out this defect to the were there in the desert.
Subedar Major in-charge of it. Commander decided to pay it a
The man did not look perturbed at visit and have lunch with them. The NO SIGNBOARDS
all, although bricks are hard to get in Commanding Officer (CO) realised At last, nearly at tea time, they got
Ladakh. that the signboards of the regiment a call from a harried General who was
‘No problem madam ji. Mauka were looking shabby and old. He roaring with anger.
milte hi theek ho jaayega. (it will be ordered the Adjutant to get new “Where is your bloody regiment?
corrected at the first opportunity)’ ones made. We have already covered more than
replied the Subedar Major. The Adjutant was rather three hundred kilometers and it is
Next morning, the arch was overworked and remembered this on nowhere in sight!” he roared.
perfect. In the afternoon, an enraged the last day, when the CO had asked “Three hundred kilometers?”
villager reported that during the him about it again. The CO blew him asked the astonished CO. “But our
night, while he and his family were up and told him that he had let him regiment is hardly ten kilometers
sleeping inside, someone had stolen down. from the junction turning sir,” he
the wall of his house. Everyone was A downcast Captain used his replied puzzled.
sympathetic and it was decided that brains and the next day the CO ‘Why wasn’t a signboard put up
once the welcome arch was taken was pleasantly surprised to see there? I think we took the wrong
down the bricks used in it would be brand new signboards all across turning!” roared the General.
donated free to him to rebuild his the regimental area. After all the “But there is a clear signboard
house. preparations had been done, the there Sir,” insisted the CO.
Once, a regiment was out regiment waited for the arrival of “Well, there was no signboard. In
on exercise and the Divisional Divisional Commander. fact, in the first fifty kilometers there
That’s it. Now, if there is not
enough material for a good display
most of the officers’ wives bring
stuff from their home and put it on
display. Bad luck if the visiting lady
decides she likes some thing and
buys it, making her contribution in
good faith towards the regimental
Welfare Centre fund.
Again, various competitions
are held during this time. In one
regiment, there was a jawan who
always won the garden competition.
He seemed to have a green finger.
The vegetables in his garden were
always the best.
One year, the evening before the
were no signboards. I think we are Once a pilot found that the door of competition, the CO’s wife wanted
hopelessly lost,” said the General. his chopper would not close properly. to consult him about something and
Then it dawned upon the CO, the At that time, the chopper was on sent for him. The man’s wife sent
mystery of the sudden appearance a rescue mission. The condition of back the message that he had gone
of the brand-new signboards all the patient was deteriorating fast. to the sabzi mandi.
over the regimental area. Sure The soldier would die if he was not The CO’s wife was puzzled. Why
enough, when one of the boards evacuated immediately. Everyone would a man who grew the best
was scrapped a little, another sign looked at the pilot in despair. vegetables in the regiment have to
emerged from under the fresh paint. The pilot chewed upon some gum go to the sabzi mandi?
All the signboards gracing the and said, ‘No problem’. Next day, when the CO and the
regimental area had been stolen He procured some celo-tape from Second-in-Command’s wife were
from the road leading up to the his pocket, secured the door with it inspecting the various gardens, sure
regiment’s location and repainted and took off with the patient whose enough, that JCO’s garden was the
and put up inside. No wonder the life was saved because of timely lushest. Then they took a closer look
General had got lost. treatment. and realised why the man had gone
Another time, the ADM to the sabzi mandi the day before.
inspection of a regiment was STORIES OF Each plant had the freshest
successfully over. So, the ARMY WIVES vegetable attached with a bit of
amendatory party was scheduled for It is not only the jawans or the transparent celo-tape which was
the evening. Unfortunately, it was officers of the armed forces who rise almost invisible. That was the
a Tuesday. No meat was available up to any occasion but so do their secret of him winning the garden
for love or money anywhere in the better halves. Let me tell you some competition every year.
entire area. The CO’s wife was in tales concerning them. Most regiments also host a best
despair. The wives of army officers run kept housing competition along with
When the adjutant was told, he what are known as Welfare Centres the garden competition. The ladies
said, ‘No problem’. for the wives of the jawans. But of the regiment compete fiercely for
Within one hour, there stood the not every thing they do here is this.
meat on hoof, a small sheep bleating appreciated or successful. Once, the inspecting CO and SIC’s
away. The party went off well. During an ADM inspection or wife got delayed and reached the
The next day, the head man from during a visit the better half of the last house to be inspected two hours
a village next door came crying Brigade Commander/ General usually later. They were taken aback when
complaining that, during the night, is hosted for tea and meets the they met an irritated housewife who
someone had stolen one of his ladies of the regiment in the Welfare glowered at them and said, “What
sheep. As a gesture of goodwill he Centre and inspects the work they is the point of coming now? All the
was given a few bottles of rum and have been doing there, like stitching, furniture I had hired for the day has
sent off happy. embroidery, making paper flowers or already been taken back.”
Our fleets of helicopters in the other crafts. So you see; our armed forces
Army Aviation Corps are old. Most of But some times, a jawan’s wife are not the only ones who use their
them have been in service since 1971. will turn around and tell you, ‘I do brains and Jugaad but so do their
But natural that wear and tear has enough work in the village. I have better halves as well, which often
taken place. come here to rest.’ lead to hilarious situations. We
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●
I
am a 26-year-old software with your studies when you were in
engineer with a very good job. I am college and so weren’t obsessed with
often sent abroad on projects and I sex as some romantic girls were, but
have seen most of the world. I therefore you were not put off by the thought of
thought that I was the luckiest person intercourse. Having sex and children
alive when, added to all this, I met a born through it are an important part
man in the same profession and we of marriage and you should seriously
fell in love, and he asked me to marry think about whether you can live
him. I was sure that we would have a without both. Many marriages have
wonderful life. broken up because one of the partners
Both sets of parents happily agreed was not sexually satisfied. Not having
to our getting married and the date children also causes many marriages
has been fixed. I have started shopping to flounder.
for my wedding, but a week ago my But people who love deeply often
fiancé told me that he had something make sacrifices willingly. You could
important to tell me. He then told me go without sex if your love for your
that he had had a brutal attack of viral man is deep enough. But there is also
fever two years ago and that the attack the matter of how your partner takes
had left him impotent. He explained his inability to satisfy you. Impotence
that he would never be able to have often makes men feel insecure and
sex with me or father a child. But he then they begin to suspect their wives
said that he was still in love with me of infidelity.
and that if I agreed to marry him, he You should be practical when you
would try his best to keep me happy. take this decision as to whether to
I don’t know how to take all this and I break up with your man or not. As for
can’t discuss it with my parents either. children, you should ask the doctor if
When I was in college, some of my you could be impregnated with your
friends cons¬tan¬tly talked about sex husband’s sperm and bear his child.
and claimed that they were hungry for You could also adopt and have the
it. But I never felt like that. But neither joy of becoming parents, while at the
did the thought of sex disgust me as same time giving a child a chance in
it disgusted some other girls. Will I be life. A visit to the doctor and some
able to live without sex? Can such a serious thinking are very necessary
marriage be a happy one? before you take a decision.
I
It would be better if you manage to ●
see the doctor who had treated your am a regular reader of your
fiancé and ask him the details of your magazine and especially enjoy
fiancé’s condition. This is not because this column. So, I am writing to
you can’t trust your betrothed, but so you about my problem. I am 23 years
that you can get a complete picture old and have a married elder sister. A
of the problem and details of any few months ago, my brother-in-law
treatment available. If you put it misbehaved with me. I struggled with
tactfully, your fiancé shouldn’t have him and tried to save myself, but he
any problems with this. Once you have raped me.
spoken to the doctor, you will have a When I told my parents and sister,
better idea of the future that you may they were all shocked. But they told
face. Your attitude to sex seems to be me that I should not talk about this
pretty normal. You were probably busy to anyone for the sake of the family
honour. I agreed and now things are how you feel and how the thought of should accept the man chosen for you
going on in a manner that appears to be marriage disgusts you now. Request wholeheartedly? Why didn’t you tell
normal. My parents are now in a hurry them not to force you into marriage your parents that you would like to
to get me married, but something has and then discuss your plans for a career meet the man you had to spend the
happened to me and I am depressed with them. rest of your life with?
I
all the time. I have also turned totally ● Why didn’t you leave your husband
against men and marriage. I now want am 28 and have been married for if you were so unhappy instead of
to spend my life working and looking 7 years. Mine was an arranged marriage staying with him and betraying him?
after my old parents and disabled and I just saw my husband for a few And why didn’t your brother-in-law
brother. minutes before we got married. He is refuse to get married when you were
How can I convince my parents to a good man and I have nothing against having an affair and you both felt that
let me do this? And how can I get over him, but from the moment I set eyes on you couldn’t live without each other?
my depression? his younger brother, my heart was not You cannot refuse to take any
People in our conservative society my own. responsibility for the present state of
don’t understand what trauma rape I soon realised that my brother-in- affairs and blame your parents and
causes to a victim. They think that law was as attracted to me as I was in-laws for your unhappiness. They
family honour and reputation are to him and we confessed our love to couldn’t be expected to know that
more important than this trauma, and each other. We knew that there was lightning would strike when you and
that since what has happened can’t be no hope of our families ever accepting your brother-in-law met.
changed, they tell the woman to keep our relationship, but we began having And you should certainly have
quiet and “forget what happened.” sexual relations. known that your affair was very wrong
They don’t realise that being raped No one suspected our affair all and that if people came to know about
can completely change a woman these years, but a few months ago, my it, the members of two families would
and that she can begin to hate men in-laws got my brother-in-law married be shattered. Spare a thought for your
and even lose faith in her family and since then we have not been able husband and your new sister-in-law.
for not understanding her pain and to meet. I know that our affair is now at Accept the facts of your life and try to
being supportive. Your family too has an end and I am heartbroken. make a good life for yourself with your
been more concerned with avoiding I blame both my parents and in-laws husband.
scandal than with understanding your for my misery and that of my brother-
pain and helping you. It is absolutely in-law. Parents claim that all they want
understandable that your terrible is the happiness of their children, but
experience has traumatised you and this is not true. They are jealous of our
made you depressed. It has also led happiness and try their best to see that
you to distrust men and has put off we live as they want us to and not as
your marriage. we ourselves want to live.
In advanced countries, all rape Am I condemned to be unhappy all
victims are offered counselling. Here my life?
too hospitals have counsellors and What exactly are you blaming your
there are some private ones too in our parents and in-laws for? For arranging
metros. But, on the whole, counselling your marriage to your husband and
is not easily available. not to his younger brother? And
But even if one can’t go to a later for not realising that you and
counsellor, talking frankly to a mature your brother-in-law were having an
person who one trusts is also useful. So affair and arranging his marriage to
why don’t you do that? Perhaps there someone else?
is an aunt, teacher or older friend in How were your parents to have
whom you have confidence and whom realised that you would be happier
you can trust not to gossip about your with their son-in-law’s younger brother
bad experience. and how were his parents to have
Speak to this person frankly about realised that you two were having an
how unhappy you feel, the anger you affair? And after realising this, you feel Have you a personal problem of any
must have against your brother-in-law that they should have let you continue nature, which you hesitate to discuss
and even your sister and parents, your with your affair and not have got him with your family or friends?
fear of men, your antipathy towards married? Very strange expectations! Share it with us. We will try to help you.
sex, etc. You will feel better after doing Very strange indeed!
Address your letters to:
this and you will slowly come to terms Why did you agree to have an WOMAN’S ERA, E-3, Jhandewala Estate,
with your bitter experience. Also, talk arranged marriage if you do not accept New Delhi-110 055.
to your parents frankly and tell them its basic premise which is that you
C
omplaints about friendship Today’s friendships are somehow consequences.
degradation have become a more conditional than they were in Social media has, in some ways,
staple of our conversation in the past, as we organise ourselves trivialised the idea of “friendship”
digital era. The meaning and the way into “echo chambers” of like-minded and made it synonymous with peer
we think of friendship have changed individuals online and reject differing or acquaintance.
in recent years. views. Email, social networking sites, and
In the world, as we know it today, Even the word “friend” has communication apps allow friends to
relationships are different. We live been replaced by social media. A share the content of mutual interest
online most of the time now. So, whole new meaning in which being such as memes and videos and thus
social media is the new coffee shop friends with someone means clicking keep the conversation going for
to meet and make new friends. “Accept” on their friend request. longer than they can have.
On the contrary, physical It’s not bad at all. Social media has You can chat and have a
restaurants are full of people staring benefited many friendships. Not only conversation on 24x7 basis;
at their phones instead of talking. does it allow people to stay in touch regardless of physical distance
That selfie culture has made us with each other who have not been between you and your mate. This
addicts who care more about our in touch traditionally but it has also availability of 24x7 makes friendship
social media than being present with enhanced personal relationships. less valuable for today’s generation.
each other. The digital age comes with its How about the idea that we now
Key to
R e a l F r i e n d s
New dynamics of friendship in an
eve-changing world. By Anshika Sharma
live in a world in which friendship quality time with friends, significant When your best friend posts an
is debated? What social media others, or family, you’re looking at Instagram pic with her new school
encourages us to value is quantity stories and photos of others with friends, there’s an unavoidable
over quality and project images their friends and family. amount of pressure to feel.
of dazzling perfection at the We as a generation are obsessed Maybe, you’re having fun at
expense of creating deep, intimate with Instagram because it is a form school, you just haven’t had a chance
relationships? of self-expression that allows you to post on Instagram, or maybe, you
The concern is that the quantity to choose your image. The world’s think your posts are lousy. If you’re
of friendship comes at the cost of biggest pessimist can paint their not, you might feel the need to put
quality. Instagram page with smiles and a smile on your face and tell all your
Youngsters want to be popular words of positivity, and I look at it 800 followers that you’re having the
on social media and for that they with admiration for the way they time of your life.
need to have more friends on their spread genuine happiness.
social media handles. Users with few How do I ever know it’s not real? SOCIAL MEDIA
friends on social networking sites are This is where social media gets a GENERATION
not considered so-called “cool”. little toxic. Friends split for college Fakeness is the main reason why
According to one study, the more and so begins a silent competition to the meaning of friendship is changing
“friends” one has, the less they value make fun of each other. Best friends these days. Friendship with someone
the intimacy of their friendship. in the healthiest relationships can will give you a safe place to have a
Internet friendships have taken participate in this with each other heartfelt conversation with them
precedence over face-to-face without even realising it. without judging anyone.
interactions, and as a result, the If you have true friends with
quality of personal friendships has TODAY’S FRIENDSHIPS someone then you should feel proud
deteriorated, as Ruth Whipman ARE SOMEHOW of their success and not jealous.
reported in The New York Times. Phone calls and handwritten
According to him, teens and
MORE CONDITIONAL letters from a few decades ago
young millennials are spending less THAN THEY WERE may sound healthier than today’s
time than any generation in recent IN THE PAST, AS WE WhatsApp text, even their functions
history ‘hanging out with their ORGANISE OURSELVES are same.
friends. They are replacing real-world Social media is a platform
interactions with smartphones. INTO “ECHO designed to keep you connected
It cannot be denied that people CHAMBERS” OF LIKE- with your friends, and if we all keep
find friendship online. MINDED INDIVIDUALS faking our way to 300 likes and 500
However, friends in real life are comments, we will lose our genuine
better than online friends, because, ONLINE AND REJECT friends because you can, of course,
with friends in real life, one can meet DIFFERING VIEWS. sign up as many people as you want,
and interact in person, and get to EVEN THE WORD but that doesn’t make them true
know the person’s character better. friends.
This is because, with friends online,
“FRIEND” HAS BEEN Social media provides a very
we usually only see lines of text in REPLACED BY SOCIAL effective way to keep old friendships
instant messages, and are MEDIA. alive. No matter how sympathetic
unable to see the person’s someone may be on Facebook or
body language and tone. Skype, in the end, we all need a real
Psychologists believe friend’s shoulder to rest our head
that face-to-face and cry out our heart.
contact is almost Friendships have a
always necessary to huge impact on your
form a truly close mental health and
friendship. happiness. Good
Fear of missing friends relieve stress,
out (FOMO) can turn provide comfort
into a vicious cycle and joy, and prevent
of comparison and loneliness and
passivity. Even worse, isolation.
it can cause you to live So, remember it’s
out your “relationship” important to have
on social media. real friends whether
Instead of enjoying online or offline. We
Imperfect is
Perfect
Quest for it may leave
you disturbed mentally.
By Kasturi Rangachari
W
riting this may sound selfish
to some but it does not
point any one particular.
Without creating a dramatic
story I would start directly. There
is something about this topic as
whenever I get to hear this all I start
having negative vibes.
Google has answers to all
questions and during summer it is
natural to have acne and breakouts
on face. I was looking for some
skin care tips but few links that
my eyes got stuck on made very
uncomfortable.
Google usually have those
“People may also ask” portions and
all I read was
Can dusky be fair?
Why is dusky not attractive?
How can I get fair skin tone?
What food whitens skin
complexion?
How to be slim?
How to lose weight in two days?
…
Over the years, many ethnicities
have been programmed to equate
fair skin and slim figure or, I should
say, zero figure with beauty, success
and happiness.
Why is this obsession with being
fair? Why is it necessary to be slim
enough to be called beautiful? What
has happened to those catchy lines
like “beauty comes from within”?
This is an unfortunate truth
that we live in, where people are
obsessed with beauty.
Beauty Comes From Within THE CONCEPT OF Being too fat or too slim can be hard
In the era of modernism, to get rid of and it becomes even
somewhere the society is still USING PRODUCTS more difficult to get rid of those
backward in terms of choosing FOR SKIN CARE, judgments that people have.
someone on the basis of complexion. ESPECIALLY IN THE Why it is that society needs to
Society has placed so much emphasis comment on someone’s figure or
on complexion and figure that it
CURRENT EFFECTS OF skin colour?
has aroused dangerously obsessive GLOBAL WARMING I agree being fit keeps you away
behaviour amongst us. AND POLLUTED from certain health problems, but
I agree on the concept of using
products for skin care, especially in
ENVIRONMENT. somewhere this obsession has
increased a lot. To add cherry on cake
the current effects of global warming SOCIETY HAS DICTATED are the dangerous skinny celebrities
and polluted environment. WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE and those advertisements giving fake
Society has dictated what is AND WHAT IS NOT. inspiration, especially to teenagers
acceptable and what is not. who emulate them.
‘Rishta’. This is another level of night to make me fair because I had After being constantly compared
stupidity. It is very common in the had sun kissed complexion. to others for being dusky or broad
society we live ‘girl’ or ‘boy’ has it’s been quite a tough journey to find
to be fair in order to be termed as Perfect Is Fake yourself sexy.
“beautiful”. I have seen this so many Using fairness creams, ubtans, You start believing in it, and adopt
times and it is so surprising. How can haldi, and multani mitti was very a self-image and start regretting
someone choose a life partner on the common to me. Until I realised that yourself for not being perfect. Due
basis of skin-colour? this obsession with fair skin is making to which even the smallest of the
Being fair does not make you me lose my inner self confidence. joke about you makes you feel as if
complete or perfect, and remember Another major drawback is eating someone is stabbing you deep and
“perfect is always fake”. habits that unfortunately affect our you die a little.
The worst part is that few fairness health in several ways. Certain types Believe me; it becomes really
cream advertisements openly show of eating causes weight gain and difficult to cover up such things in life
the need of being fair. due to some metabolism issue few with a smile. You never know what
I have no shame to say that cannot gain weight. someone is going through. Passing
even I have to go through it. I still Sometimes, food isn’t the only comments, giving certain remarks
remember my aunts asking my mom problem that can make us fat or does not make you a practical
to give me saffron and milk every skinny; it can even be in our genes. person. We
of the cornea, scrotal dermatitis in
males; a magenta-coloured tongue
and anaemia have been attributed to
riboflavin deficiency.
Riboflavin clearly plays a vital role
in cellular oxidation and there are
communities and individuals who have
both minimal dietary intakes and very
low concentrations in urine or blood.
Treatment consists of riboflavin in 5mg
three times a day taken orally; other B
I
am a 50 yrs old working woman, complex vitamins should also be given.
for about last one year I have been
l
suffering from redness, itching and
I
slightly inflamed skin at the angle of am a 48 yrs old working woman,
mouth, a zone of red epithelium at I am in menopausal age group and
the line of closure of lips and enlarged for the last six months I have been
follicles with full of cheesy material on suffering from irregular and excessive
the sides of nose and anaemia. I have bleeding. Initially I though that these
consulted a doctor for this problem. were menopausal symptoms, and
After examination, he told me that I hence consulted a gynaecologist.
am suffering from riboflavin deficiency After examination, she advised me
and advised treatment. What is your some procedure and biopsy also
opinion? and told me that this is a common
Riboflavin is a constituent of the misconception that irregular and
flavoproteins which are responsible for excessive bleeding during menopausal
tissue oxidation. The best sources of age group is a characteristic symptom
riboflavin are liver, kidney, milk, meat, of menopause. I want to know in detail
cheese and eggs. Green vegetables about this problem.
contain moderate amounts. The There is much variation in the
recommended daily intake is 1.7 mg manner in which the menstrual periods
in adults. When human volunteers cease at the time of the menopause.
have been given diets very low Only three variations should be
in riboflavin, the most consistent regarded as physiological. These are
clinical manifestations were angular sudden cessation, gradual diminution
stomatitis, cheilosis and nasolabial in the amount of loss with each regular
seborrhoea. These responded to period until they disappear, and
the addition of pure riboflavin in the gradual increase in the spacing of the
deficient diet. periods until they cease for an interval
Angular stomatitis is not specific of six months. Any departure from
to riboflavin deficiency. Deficiencies these three forms should be regarded
of niacin, pyridoxine and iron can all as pathological.
produce it. It can follow herpes febrilis It is a common misconception
at the angle of the moth. A common that irregular and excessive uterine
cause is ill-fitting dentures, associated haemorrhage is a characteristic
with canidiasis. Cheilosis is the name symptom of the menopause. Even to
given to a zone of red, denuded this day, cases of carcinoma (Cancer)
epithelium at the line of closure of the of the uterus are missed in their
lips. It has occurred in experimental early stages because the irregular
pure niacin deficiency. It is often haemorrhage caused by the carcinoma
associated with angular stomatitis and is regarded as menopausal. The uterus
frequently seen in pellagrins. should be curetted and the curetting
Nasolabial seborrhoea or dyssebacea must be examined histologically.
is the term given to enlarged follicles Apart from carcinoma of the uterus,
around the sides of the nose which are other gynaecological conditions such
plugged with dry sebaceous material. It as fibroid of uterus, polypi etc. give rise
is seen in some patients with pellagra. to irregular haemorrhage which very
Other abnormalities are vascularisation often can be easily treated and cured.
M
y mother is about 70 yrs old Elbow, tendonitis about the shoulder especially in presence of upper
and suffering from irregularly and certain types of back pain. The respiratory track infection, should
shaped flat pigmented lesion response depends upon the nature of be avoided. As the eustachian tubes
on skin of cheek and outer aspect of the basic lesion, permanent relief is are not opened by swallowing during
hands since last seven to eight years. often gained in extra-articular lesions sleep one should not sleep during
It enlarges slowly over the years and, such as Tennis Elbow but in arthritis descent of an aircraft. In presence of
sometimes, shows regression in some the benefit is often not more than minor congestion one should instill
areas but now suddenly it is extending. temporary. decongestive drops during descent
We have consulted a doctor for this of an aircraft. During descent auto-
l
problem, after examination doctor inflation should be performed.
I
told us that she is suffering from am a 45 yrs old working woman, – Dr Sanjay Teotia
Hutchinson’s melanotic freckle and when travelling by air I usually suffer
advised surgery. I want your advice from discomfort and pain, deafness
about this problem. for a few days and sensation of noise
Hutchinson’s melanotic freckle is (such as ringing or roaring) in my
an irregularly shaped flat pigmented ears, which usually disappear in a few
lesion found most commonly in sun hours. But this time, these symptoms
damaged skin of the cheek or temple in persisted for more than ten days. I
elderly people. Very occasionally, it can have consulted an ENT surgeon for
appear in other exposed areas, e.g., this problem. After taking history and
the dorsum of (outer part) of hand. examination, he told me that I am
It enlarges slowly over the years and suffering Barotraumatic otitis media
may show spontaneous regression in and advised some procedure also. I
some areas while extending in others. want your opinion.
Malignant (cancerous) change can Barotraumatic otitis media is also
occur after periods of the order of called otitic barotrauma. It occurs
ten years or more and recognised by during rapid descent in non-pressurised
the formation of a nodule or nodules. aircraft or during compression in a
This form of malignant melanoma caisson. Rapid descent produced
is relatively less aggressive than the locking of the eustachian tube
others and less frequently metastasises resulting in retraction of the tympanic
to the regional lymph nodes or membrane owing to relative lowering
systemically. It is treated by excision of pressure in the middle ear. The
(removal) which does not require such decrease of pressure occurs because
a wide margin of healthy tissue as in the of absorption of oxygen by the
more usual types of the disease. tissue. Clinical features are increasing
discomfort and pains are the first
l
symptoms. They usually disappear in a
I
am 50 yrs old working woman few hours. Deafness may persist for a
and suffering from osteoarthritis few days. Tinnitus (sensation of noise
since last one year and Tennis such as ringing or roaring) is a common
Elbow since last six months. I have symptom. Sometimes, there may be
consulted an orthopaedic surgeon for complaint of vertigo. On examination,
these problems. He advised me local the tympanic membrane becomes red
injections on the sites of lesions. I want soon after the onset.
to know about the role of injections in Treatment consists of unlocking,
these problems. may be done by frequent auto inflation
The indications for local injections (pressure after closing the nose with
fall into two groups — osteoarthritis fingures). This treatment usually fails
or rheumatoid arthritis, in which the if the tube has been locked for more
substance (usually hydrocortisone than an hour. If no fluid is present in the Readers are invited to send in any health
with or without a local anaesthetic middle ear eustachian catherisation and medical queries they would like to
be answered. Woman’s Era will provide
solution) is injected directly into usually helps. If fluid is present, answers to your questions and offer
the affected joint with rigid aseptic myringotomy may be necessary. Use solutions to your problems. Individual
precautions and extra-articular lesions of antibiotics may be considered in replies cannot be sent. Address your
of the type often ascribed (for want of case of threatened infection. letters (neatly written on white paper) to:
more precise knowledge) to chronic Prevention of otitic barotrauma Woman’s Era E-3, Jhandewala Estate, New
Delhi-110 055. Womansera.com
strain, as exemplified by Tennis is flying in a non-pressurised aircraft,
Finding
Mr . R i g h t
How nice lasses can find nice lads. By I.M. Soni
I
t’s sad but true. Sometimes, you
keep falling hopelessly for the
wrong guy, one who turns you
on sexually and romantically, but is
incapable of giving you emotional
support.
Your knees weaken for the
charismatic, the handsome and the
sensuous, who is also undependable
and selfish while you are totally blind
to unselfish, nice and unglamorous
guy who really cares for you.
Rise of the digital age had allowed
us to bend all rules and regulations of
dating and cross all the boundaries of
traditional dating tactics.
We are now able to reach more The wrong guy The thing is, a bullshit guy will lie to
people through technology and It’s body chemistry — bell- keep his player’s manner intact.
foster greater connections. ringing, spine-tingling magic. Magic This time, beware! Have a laugh
But sometimes, it also leads to our is terrific. But it can be dangerous, but don’t build your life around him.
downfall. especially when the reason you’re Then when he dumps you, you’ll still
Here are some of the new hooked is physical. Erotic pleasure have your pride intact.
constraints we’ve created ourselves, is a powerful reward and you tend On the other hand, here are some
for finding “Mr. Right” is more to do whatever you can to continue sure-fire ways to dump him first!
confusing and difficult than ever. getting rewarded. Love yourself. If you care about
It happens to the best of us. You become vulnerable and yourself enough and have self-
You’re dating a handsome guy dependent. He makes you miserable. respect, you’ll be more careful about
who says and does all the right But even misery can feel exciting getting hurt. Tell yourself that you
things. Then one fine day, he is not as you are tense all the time. Deep are attractive, interesting, lovable,
contacting you at all or not even inside, you know that this guy is whatever with or without him.
picking up your call and suddenly undependable, insincere and shallow.
starts avoiding you.
Now, it’s hard to
tell if you were in a
relationship, or if a
crap guy put you in a IT’S BODY CHEMISTRY
meaningless position. — BELL-RINGING,
You need to learn
ways to switch off SPINE-TINGLING
your interest in the MAGIC. MAGIC IS
wrong guy and to open TERRIFIC. BUT IT
yourself to a good guy
and a brand new world.
CAN BE DANGEROUS,
We don’t always fall ESPECIALLY WHEN
in love with someone THE REASON
because their positive YOU’RE HOOKED IS
qualities compliment
us, but also because PHYSICAL. EROTIC
their negative qualities PLEASURE IS A
fit us so well. POWERFUL REWARD
Therefore, the
first thing to do
AND YOU TEND TO
when entering into a DO WHATEVER YOU
relationship is to take CAN TO CONTINUE
a look at yourself and GETTING REWARDED.
your past relationships.
Firstly, recognise
your pattern of
choosing someone
with specific traits. You You bang your head against the truth Healthy relationships usually begin
have something you can work with. but it doesn’t really penetrate. with mutual interest and attraction
By figuring out how you end up with You know that he cares for you that grows over time. If you want to
the same offending partner in every as much as he cares for a satisfying find lasting love and keep yourself from
relationship, you’ll know what to do meal and that he’ll be away like getting hurt, you’ll need to learn how
to break this cycle. greased lightning as soon as he gets to use your head a little more than
When it comes to love, it is bored. But you shy away from facing your heart, at least in the beginning.
advisable to not only go into it with this. Later, when the bitter last straw It is essential to lay a foundation
your heart but also use your head has broken you, reality hits you. of compatibility, shared goals and
to choose a partner for yourself. You’ve fallen for the wrong guy. But interests, and common values. Some
That way, instead of automatically sometimes, sadly, it happens again. things cannot be negotiated easily.
selecting the same type of person You flip for another caddish clone. Before you invest emotionally,
for similar negative traits, you can A lot of men have a tendency to it is wise to determine if you are
try selecting a completely different lie; they want an easy life, don’t they? fundamentally compatible. And the
partner. We can all do it at the best of times. best way to do this is to go slowly.
The right guy
No one is perfect, we all have
flaws. And these flaws are not
black and white; usually a person’s
greatest strength is tied to his
greatest weakness.
He doesn’t turn you on right now.
But you communicate well with him.
You can tell him your secrets and
discuss your dreams with him. If only
he could be both sensitive and sexy,
nurture your body as well as your
soul and be your friend as well as
your lover!
But perhaps, you’re taking a one
dimensional view of him because
your pre-conceived fantasy won’t let
him be a turn-on.
He loves your good qualities and
accepts and embraces you without
feeling guilty for your flaws. He is
there for you when you need him,
even if it is inconvenient for him.
He takes care of you while making
decisions both big and small.
The relationship is something
more than each of you together may
long for as an individual; he and you
are a team. He communicates with
you; even about difficult issues and
even if one of you is upset with the
You Can Look Beyond

other.
Brain studies show that if nerve
impulses pass along their selected
pathways long enough, they leave
an indelible memory trace. It’s like I was born free As she is growing up
water flowing down a hill, cutting a My mother must have I stop and ponder
channel and leaving a pattern in the Blown bubbles, Do I need to teach her
earth. Allow all these conditioning Or filled her mouth with air You cannot look beyond?
techniques to open you to For me to strike and But I do look beyond
possibilities that are just as pleasant Chuckle. And take liberty at
as the ones that used to get you into Breaking the barriers,
trouble I know this all because Jumping the boundaries
Now, that you’ve identified I am a mother now Just to be myself
the nice guy go ahead. Ask him to I want my child to I am myself not a
accompany you to a party or a play. Be endlessly happy, Blindfolded statue
Chances are that he’ll happily accept. When my baby sleeps Of law.
While you are partying, send I spend don’t know So I wish to tell my
out signals that you fancy him and How much time looking Child
him alone. He’s bound to get the At her calm and innocent Do look beyond
message! And suddenly you’ve got Face. Reflect and ponder
yourself a nice guy! I know sky is a limit for Either break the barrier
Just remember to put your time My child, Or make your own way
and effort on the people who really but would she be free like Never stop at boundaries
deserve it; who will give you what a bird or butterfly? To bear the everlasting
you need and will reimburse you Would all bedtime stories strangle.
for your effort in seeking the same I tell her come alive? By Kiran Rawat.
things in life. We
27
WB CM Mamata Banerjee and MP Shatrughan Sinha At 27th KIFF.
th
Kolkata
International
Film Festival
Finally manages to see itself through.
By Sudipto Mullick Mitchell Camera of Pather Panchali at
Ray exhibition.
L
ike an irritant cloud-cap,
WB CM Mamata Banerjee and MP Shatrughan Sinha at 27 KIFF. Covid-19 had prevented
– firstly, deferred to early-
January from mid-November and
then postponed due to coronaviral
cases in management, barely 48
hours after it was then officially
announced — Kolkata’s world
cinema enthusiasts from the festive
glimmer of silver screen at their
designated Nandan Complex.
Only with the opening ceremony
followed by inaugural film,
Satyajit Ray’s birth-centenary
commemoration showpiece,
the 20th Berlin IFF Golden Bear
nominee, Aranyer Din Ratri (1970),
this 24 April, it felt assured that
the 27th Kolkata International
Film Festival will run its intended
course till May 1 — a day shorter
of its historic 8-day affair and Ray’s
birthday.
Screenings
Unlike previous years, but like the
last edition, only the government
cinema halls and auditoriums — ten
in total — had been earmarked for
this festival, after waiving the 50 per
cent occupancy diktat.
Though sanitisation was carried
out after every screening, no show-
slots were sacrificed allowing one
to max out the full possibility of
viewing 35 feature-length films.
Besides Ray (Born: 1921), this
year’s birth-centenary tributes were
also accorded to Magyar cinema
‘choreographer’, Miklós Jancsó
A section of 13 living (out of 27) Ray’s artists.
(Electra, My Love; 1974), director-
critic, and Chidananda Dasgupta
(Amodini; 1994). They were all THE BEST DIRECTOR
accorded an exhibition along with AND SPECIAL JURY
Buddhadeb Dasgupta, with Ray’s NOD WENT TO POLISH
being the most comprehensive,
displaying Pather Panchali shot
OLA JANKOWSKA FOR
Mitchell camera and accouterments ANATOMY WHO PICKED
sourced from his other films. UP 21 LAKHS INR AND
Special tributes were paid to Jean THE TROPHY AND TO
Paul Belmondo and Sumitra Bhave
as well. Compared with January STREAMS. AMONG
schedule, the April exposition had TEN ENTRIES VYING
excluded two participating countries FOR THE HIRALAL SEN Jhilli wins Best Movie In International
to clock at 40 but gained by the
same number, one each in feature
MEMORIAL TROPHIES. competition.
films and shorts-documentries
section totalling 104 FFs, including
46 foreign flicks and 59 shorts and
documentaries, culled from overall
1698 entries.
The Wins
Lavrente Indico Diaz, a key
member of Phillipino ‘slow cinema
movement’ and the jury-chairman
of the International Competition:
Innovation In Moving Images chose
Jhilli (The Discards) as best film by
Ishaan Ghoshe, son of attendant Glimpse of Satyajit Ray Centenary Exhibition.
Gautam Ghoshe, which carries a
magnanimous purse of 51 lakhs INR dump yard, which is being converted best director and Special Jury nod
— the highest in the world, and the into a recreational park, can be went to Polish Ola Jankowska for
Royal Bengal Golden Tiger trophy, contextualised in Diaz’s statement Anatomy, who picked up 21 lakhs
over 11 others in the fray. that one comes across in his festival- INR and the trophy and to Streams
Awarding of this contentious featured film which stated: “Nothing (Mehdi Hmili, Tunisia).
film essaying the existential crisis of is more violent than poverty.” Among ten entries vying for
stray-workers of Kolkata’s largest In that same category, the the Hiralal Sen Memorial Trophies,
in the Competition on Indian by iconic football striker, I. M.
Language’s Films, which also had Vijayan; Kodava spoken in Coorg
entries from Kerala — Nishiddho of region, through Nada peda Asha by
Tara Ramanujan and Mindgame by ex-soldier Prakash Kariappa; Tulu
Rajesh Touchriver and Tamil Nadu prevalent in select districts of Udupi,
Taya — second sanskrit feature Chikkamagaluru and Kasaragod via
by G Prabha, Adieu Goddard (Dir: K. Manjunath’s Yen Akka Nirmala;
Amartya Bhattacharya), Ishrat Khan Rajbanshi (Bihaan/Saurabh Saha),
(Film: Guthlee Ladoo) and Prapti Mising or Miri (Boomba Ride/Biswajit
(Dir: Anurag Patra) emerged as the Bora); and Boro (Bokhali/Arup
winners of Best Film (7 lakhs INR), Manna).
Best Director (5 lakhs INR) and
Special Jury awards. Going International
Two Indian films, shortlisted This year’s 23-film Cinema
from eight, made it to the NETPAC International package incorporating
(Network for the Promotion of 2021 Cannes honour list had
Asian Cinema) awards which were Annette (Best Director/Leos
triumphed by Manikbabur Megh (Dir: Carax/France); joint Grand Prix
Abhinandan Banerjee). awardees — A Hero (Asghar Farhadi/
It still carries only a trophy Iran) and Compartment No. 6
and citation and no monetary (Juho Kuosmanen/ Finland), and
considerations. Memoria (Jury Prize/Apichatpong
The National Competition of Weerasethakul/Thailand) along
20 shorts, including two Deccan with fresh hatches by acclaimed
entries and 10 Indian documentaries directors, Carlos Saura (The King Of
was excelled by Geru Patra (Dir: All The World/Spain); Nanni Moretti
Shristipal Singh) and The Little (Three Floors/Italy), Tom Medina
Book of The Little Man (Dir: Suchi (Tony Gatlif/French) and Pedro
Prasad) winning 5 and 7 lakhs INR Almadovar (Parallel Mothers/Spain).
respectively. Those that grabbed the eyes
There also were 18 entries in were: Lingui (Mahamat Saleh
the non-competitive Short and Haroun/Chad); Commitment Hasan
Documentary Panorama. (Semih Kaplanoglu/Turkey), 107
Visitors taking pics after a brief Mothers (Peter Kerekes/Czech), and
Finnish Focus spell at 27th KIFF. You Resemble Me (Dina Amer/USA).
Six films — Tove (Zaida As is its now habitual wont,
Bergroth), The Other Side Of Hope IN SPECIAL SCREENING glitch due to codec infraction
and The Winter (Aki Kaurismaki SECTION, ONE SAW surfaced on the very first day during
— both), Ladies Of Steel (Pamela APARNA SEN’S THE the screening of 2021 Palme d’or
Tola), Games People Play (Jenni Titane (Julia Ducournau / France)
Toivoniemi), A Blind Man Who Did RAPIST, SIMILAR which lay broken for thirty-four
Not Want To See The Titanic (Teemu NOTABLES LIKE minutes.
Nikki) represented Finland, this P.S. VINOTHRAJ’S In a film festival hosting a Lav
year’s focus country, in its truest Diaz film who demands endurance
sense. KOOZHANGAL — in this instance, all of 276 mins of
Since under Special Screening (PEBBLES), CHAITANYA History of Ha, the lengthiest turned
section, one saw Aparna Sen’s The TAMAHE’S THE to be 318 mins of Peter Brooks’
Rapist, similar notables like P.S. Mahabharata, shown as a homage to
Vinothraj’s Koozhangal (Pebbles),
DISCIPLE SEEMED its playwright, Jean Claude Carrier in
Chaitanya Tamahe’s The Disciple TWO BARING The Special Tribute section.
seemed two baring absentees, as ABSENTEES. THE The concluding day also
was Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s shot
on-iPhone, Kayattam.
FIRST ‘DISRUPTOR IN witnessed 13 out of 27 Ray’s living
cast and crew members being
CINEMA’ AWARD. felicitated in a programme entitled,
The Lead Footballer Vijayan language (endemic to Kurumbas/ Satyajiter Shilpira (Satyajit’s Artists).
India Unheard, dedicated to rare Kurumbars of Karnataka, Kerala To end, it was novel to
Indian languages made audiences and Tamil Nadu), Mmmmm (Sound experience this primarily winter
aware of first feature in Kurumba of Pain) by Vijeesh Mani, The Lead festival in sweltering summer. We
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A
dolescence is a time of
tremendous change and
growth. Both the growth
and development are happening at
a rapid pace. Adolescence comes
with its fair share, many of which
can make parents anxious at times.
These changes can be physical,
psychological, emotional, sexual,
moral values and self-discipline.
It is an age when teenagers
discover their own identity and feel a
growing need for independence. This
period is also one of confusion when
the teen is torn between the desire
for autonomy and the need to be
dependent on their parents.
Don’t Give Up Your Friendship also becomes

important. In addition, peer
Values
pressure increases and behavioural
changes are observed, which
sometimes create conflict between
the teen and their parents.
Puberty is the result of hormonal
changes, which, in addition to being
responsible for the physical changes
of adolescence, cause mood swings.
This requires a lot of patience and
understanding from the teen’s loved
Guiding adolescents to discover their ones.
Even the most principled and
moral values. By Anju Jha devoted parents sometimes find that
their teens do not display proper
moral values. This undisciplined and
unethical behaviour can be caused
by many reasons, both biological and
environmental.
In the present day, ethical or
ethical issues are as important
as scientific and technological
activities and progress. Surely,
today’s generation lacks moral
values and the future generations,
too, will be confused about their
morality. Youth or teenagers are
the assets of tomorrow; so lack of
moral values is a serious issue in
this important section of society.
Albert Einstein, a genius once said,
“Don’t try to be a successful person,
but be a valuable person”.
There are many books on moral
values for teenagers, while the
internet is also full of material on
such topics. However, neither books
nor the Internet can instill these
values in adolescents.
It is the parents who can raise a
child, who appreciates, upholds, and
supports justice, loyalty, courtesy,
respect, empathy, and other core
values. What the youth of today
learn will make or break them
tomorrow.
Parents should provide
boundaries beyond which the youth
cannot stray. Setting boundaries
around issues of safety and ethics
allows young people to make their
own mistakes and learn how to
recover.
ADOLESCENCE IS A
TIME OF TREMENDOUS Why adolescents lack in
CHANGE AND moral values?
In today’s modern world, the
GROWTH. BOTH decline of morality is very evident in
THE GROWTH AND our teens.
DEVELOPMENT One reason for this is that many
teens lack the self-discipline to resist
ARE HAPPENING temptation, and their fiery hormones
AT A RAPID PACE. overpower their morals. This lack
ADOLESCENCE COMES of self-control in resisting impulses
WITH ITS FAIR SHARE, leads to premarital sex.
Although adolescents may not
MANY OF WHICH have the same decision-making
CAN MAKE PARENTS abilities as adults, parental
ANXIOUS AT TIMES. influence can affect the way
adolescents behave and
IT IS AN AGE make choices. Parental behaviour
WHEN TEENAGERS plays an important role in
DISCOVER THEIR OWN adolescent decision-making.
For example, if a teenager sees
IDENTITY AND FEEL A his parents acting impulsively
GROWING NEED FOR or making poor choices such
INDEPENDENCE. as neglecting household
responsibilities or skipping work, Parents’ Role personal experiences and ethics and
the teen might believe that he is Morality is something that cannot explain why you value them or how
entitled to make similar choices. be imposed on anyone. This is they help you in your daily life.
Another reason is that many something that parents nurture as This will help you start deep
teens lack the courage or self- they guide young people to consider conversations with your kids.
discipline to keep them from what they value and the possible Adolescents should know why they
breaking down under peer consequences of their behaviour. should follow certain values and the
pressure. During adolescence, peer It’s good to share values with impact these values can have on their
influence plays an important role teens, but it’s better to follow them lives.
in adolescents’ choices.Thus, when first. There is a very famous saying Don’t make the mistake of only
they move on; they are unable to say that ‘first practise yourself what you talking about values when something
‘no’ to their girlfriends, boyfriends, preach’. This doesn’t mean you need is wrong.
or even friends. to be perfect as a parent, but you Nothing will do more than
Under the Western influence, do have to set a good precedent for preaching the values to your teen
subjects such as sex, alcohol, your teen to follow in your footsteps. after they’ve made a mistake. Talk to
smoking, and drugs are no longer Make it clear to the teen that them when everyone is comfortable,
considered taboo by our youth. They there are some things you can’t and do it in a light, conversational
feel that it is okay for them to be compromise upon. Share your way. Be aware of using a “parental
the majority, which is a clear lack of tone” which may compel your kids to
principles. DON’T MAKE THE run for the door.
Another lack of justification can MISTAKE OF ONLY Life is full of challenges and
be seen in the fact that, today, the difficult situations. If we allow our
adolescent crowd is turning to less TALKING ABOUT teens to “give up” every time they
ethical activities. Some examples VALUES WHEN encounter something difficult, we
are drugs, smoking, drinking, SOMETHING IS are creating the value of quitting
and shoplifting. As the younger that they will carry into adulthood.
generation becomes more and more
WRONG. NOTHING Instead, encourage your teen by
materialistic, many teenagers are WILL DO MORE THAN telling them how confident they are
slowly setting aside their morals to PREACHING THE that they can overcome any obstacle.
make way for their desires. VALUES TO YOUR TEEN Your job is not just to share values
Adolescents with more serious with teens, but also to appreciate
mental health problems may also AFTER THEY’VE MADE them when they practise these
display poor moral values. A MISTAKE. values.
Parents should reward such
behaviour that exemplifies core
values. So when your child is honest
even when it’s difficult, let them
know how proud you are of them.
It should be a continuous process
for inculcating moral values in
adolescents and should start with
the birth of the child. Children see
and hear that whatever will happen
around them can happen in a family
of social order and say, ‘we have to
be careful that we are doing right’.
And you don’t assume the same
thing to your child.
According to some studies,
kindness, patience, understanding,
empathy, sharing, respect for elders,
sense of responsibility, and not
going overboard with the authority
given to them are some of the
things that are deeply ingrained in
their minds from their formative
years to keep them on the right
track of life. We
Praveen Mahto,
Mamta Nath, Robinson, Artist
George Martin, Artist Sailesh
Kumar Sanghvi. (L-R)
The T
he Lexicon Art presented an
exhibition on contemporary
Contemporary
and new media arts in
its gallery space at Connaught
Place, Delhi, titled ‘Telling A Story
Beyond Painting As Contemporary
Art’, exhibiting the artworks of
Aura of
twelve young and emerging artists
pan India. The show compiled a
substantial range of awestruck
artworks by artists Akshata Mokashi,
Story Telling
Bharat Dodiya, Devesh Upadhyay,
Hansa Milan Kumar, Dr Nisha Chadda,
Pramod Jaiswal, Rabindra Shrestha,
Richa Arya, Sheikh Hifzul, Subhadip
Bhattacharya, Tarun Sharma, and
Yashwant Singh. The exhibition
An aesthetically pleasing exhibition. fascinated the spectators with
Artworks of artist Subhadip Bhattacharya, Akshata Mokashi, Bharat Artworks of Artist Devesh Upadhyay from
Dodiya, Dr Nisha Chadda (L-R) the exhibition.
Artist Richa Arya Artist Pramod Jaiswal
Artist Tarun Sharma Artist Sheikh Hifzul
the stories and emotions infused adorable sculptures to satirical used- some wonderful and awe-inspiring
in the artworks included with a book cuttings, from mythological artworks. This artistic liberty taken
mature colour palette and intricate subjects to abstract depth, the show by each of them has thus created
techniques. rendered new concepts, mediums, masterpieces in their own right,”
“The contemporary Indian artist and artistic vernaculars. Breaking said Mamta Nath, the Director and
is bound by no medium - they react. the conventional standards of the Founder of The Lexicon Art.
Fuelled by folklore and the inherited art sphere, these artists boldly and The inauguration of the exhibition
learning from mural painting and intensely put their personalities and went collectively well on the 27th
miniatures to name a
few, the artists strive
TELLING A STORY- notions in the form of
visual articulations before
of April, 2022 with a walkthrough
delineated by theologian, poet, art
to create their idea BEYOND PAINTINGS the world. curator, critic, and heritage walk
of humanity. Keeping AS CONTEMPORARY “Telling a story- curator Robinson amid the presence
in mind their training ART AS THE NAME beyond paintings as of eminent artists and personalities
these artists on display contemporary art as lifted the prominence of the evening.
have touched upon SUGGESTS IS A the name suggests is The exhibition is on view till the 3rd
what is real to them. SHOW ABOUT a show about artists’ of June 2022.
The exploration of ARTISTS’ OUTLOOK outlook and creativity The Lexicon art is persistently
materials beyond without any boundaries bewitching the viewers with its
paint and invoking AND CREATIVITY of concept, medium, sequential spellbound exhibitions
simple modernist WITHOUT ANY or material. Each work while aiming to open wide-ways for
lines are what tie BOUNDARIES. tells a different story new media arts, notions, and talent
this show together,” open to individualistic in the art world.
said Sumitra Sunder, the content interpretation, a quirk that translates
curator of the exhibition. From into the uniqueness of the show Location: The Lexicon Art
using hand-cut and wire stitched itself. Such contemporary artistic Delhi Book Company
metals to soft woven tapestries, expressions from a group of 12 young M 12, Connaught Place,
from mushy casted papers to minds with origins across India Outer Circle, New Delhi - 110001
convoluted pen drawings, from and the Subcontinent resulted in www.thelexiconart.com We
& Me
Wondaerracter!
My
Ch
Falling in love with your
favourite fictional character.
By S Anshika
W
e all have moments when or a fetish. Fictional characters can falling deeply in love with a fictional
we’re watching something come from Anime characters, books, character and have not been able to
or reading a book when online game heroes, etc. In such fake, cope with it.
we can’t stop admiring a fictional one-sided relationships, the audience Fictophiles do not consider
character. And we all also have believes that they have a personal themselves to be fans of fictional
that moment when we think ‘that relationship with the people they see characters or engage with a fantasy
character is adorable’ or ‘if this on screen or in games. Teenagers community. They often see their
character exists, we’ll be best friends mostly fall in love with fictional imaginary relationship as something
forever. characters because of loneliness, beyond imagination. Although
There’s nothing wrong with social anxiety, or dissatisfaction with there is no official disorder that
esteeming fictional characters and their real-world relationships. speaks of an obsession with fictional
seeing them as role models. We characters, it can be quite close to
can learn a lot from them and they FICTOPHILIA IS A the symptoms of OCD because the
can also help us in shaping our obsession with fictional characters
personality for good. We all take
STATE WHERE A can undermine other aspects of their
excerpts from different characters PERSON HAS STRONG lives.
to build our personalities. However, SEXUAL ATTRACTION, Teens need to understand that
when you become too obsessed AND PASSIONATE it is completely normal to become
with one character, it can be a sign attached to a fictional character until
of a problem. This may indicate that FEELINGS FOR A it turns into an obsession. Because
your sense of self is too weak to rely FICTIONAL CHARACTER, problems arise when their beliefs
on your own ‘self’. You are probably WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO start to interfere with the reality. If
using a fictional character as a crutch you begin to cut yourself off from
for your personality. Children and THOSE FELT TOWARDS real relationships, missing out on
adolescents have a weak sense of REAL PEOPLE. opportunities for real relationships
self. So they are more likely to focus with another person, you’ve plunged
on fictional characters. Fictosexuality and ficto-romance too far into the imaginary territory.
are terms that have recently become Some teenagers form romantic
Ficto-Romance In GenZ Kids popular in online environments as relationships with fictional characters
Fictophilia is a state where a used to describe strong and lasting as an alternative to real-world
person has strong lust, sexual emotions of love, infatuation, or relationships. Waking up from a
attraction, and passionate feelings of crush for one or more fictional dream is not always easy. But you
love for a fictional character, which characters. It doesn’t take long need to understand that this is a real-
are similar in strength and application to realise that this is a serious world and not a fairyland. So, don’t
to those felt towards real people. It problem for Gen Z people. There are let your imaginary crush take over
can also be considered an addiction countless cases where they report your life. We
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e !
Drool Over
Licious C u i s i n
Try these scrumptious recipes at home.
BAKED Broccoli - 100 gms

Garlic paste – 1 tsp
the sheets from cold water and use
them.
LASAGNE Salt – to taste
How to assemble lasagna
INGREDIENTS METHOD Take a sheet, oil it on one
Lasagne sheets - boiled Heat the 2 tbsp butter and side. Keep it on the bottom
Butter - 3 tbsp garlic paste. Stir until it turns light side and spread filling on it.
Onion - 2 finely chopped brown. Add onion and stir it for 1 Set another sheet on the above
Tomato – 4 deseeded chopped minute. Add all vegetables and stir of the first filling and spread
Bell Peppers - 2 shredded continuously until tender. Add salt, again the layer of filling. Repeat
Mushrooms – 4 pieces chopped pepper powder, boiled mushrooms, the layers in the same order,
Parmesan cheese or Pizza cheese and cheese. Mix it well and Keep spread cheese on top and bake
- 100 gms aside, in boiling water for 30 seconds. it for 20 minutes in the oven.
Tomato Sauce – to taste Take them out from boiling water Allow to stand for five minutes
Peppers powder- to taste and put them in cold water. Take out and serve it.
FUSION SALAD
WITH CHEESE
INGREDIENTS
Lettuce - 2 leaves
Cabbage - 3 leaves
Olives – 8 pcs
Tomato - 2 normal sizes (sliced)
Onion – 1 (sliced)
Cucumber - 1 (sliced)
Pepper powder - 2 pinch
Whole red chilli – 4
Black salt – to taste
Cumin seed powder – ½ tsp
Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Cashew nuts – 10, 12
METHOD
Wash lettuce leaves and
Cabbage leaves. Cut tomato slice, Fusion salad with cheese
onion slice and cucumber slice.
Roast cashew nuts and roast cumin
seeds and grind it. Arrange the
salad on a plate. Decorate with BAKED Salt – for taste
Pepper – for taste
CANNELLONI
olives and cashew nuts. Mix pepper
Oregano – ½ tsp
powder, cumin powder, salt and
Rice – 1 cup (cooked in veg. stock)
lemon juice pour over the dressing. INGREDIENTS Lasagne sheets
Onion – 1 chopped Cream – ½ Cup
Parsley – Chopped 1 tsp Vegetable stack – 2 cup
Baked Cannelloni Tomato – 1 finely chopped Parmesan cheese - 150 gm
Butter – 1 tsp
Tomato sauce
METHOD
Cook rice in veg stock as
normal. Heat butter in a
frying pan, add onion
and fry for 1 minute,
add tomato and fry
for 1 minute. Add
cooked rice, salt,
oregano, cream,
peppers, and fry
for 1 minute. Add
cheese mix well and
keep aside. Boil lasagne
sheets in boiling water.
Keep on clothes for five
minutes. Spread mixture on
sheet, roll it tightly garnishes with
sauce and parsley.
Orecchiette With Olives Bell pepper – ¼ finely chopped
Oil – for frying
Cheese – 2 tsp
Salt – for taste
Black pepper powder – for taste
Cream – 1 tbsp
Onion – 1 finely chopped
Nutmeg powder – 1 pinch
Mould of halfmoon or
you can make like Gujiya
METHOD
Boil lasagne
sheets and keep
aside for 5 minutes.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan
and fry onion lightly.
Put all ingredients in a
pan and mix them well. Stir
for one minute and keep aside.
Take mould and apply oil in it.
Now, keep sheet in the mould and
shape and fry it until light brown.
ORECCHIETTE HALF MOON

WITH OLIVES CHEESE
INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS
Orecchiette – 250 gms Lasagne Sheets – softened Half Moon Cheese
Olive – 20 pcs ready in vinegar Rice - ½ cup boiled
Olive Oil – 3 tbsp
Garlic – 1 tsp (grated)
Salt – for taste
Black Pepper – for taste
Onion – 2 pcs (large size)
Broccoli – boiled 1 cup
METHOD
Boil orecchiette
pasta in water until
it turns transparent.
Drain the water, wash
under tap water, oil it
and keep aside.
Heat oil in a frying
pan, add garlic paste
and fry lightly. Add onion,
black pepper, salt, stir it
and add orecchiette. Mix very
gently garnish with olives and
serve.
BRINJAL RELISH Aubergine Relish
INGREDIENT
Large Brinjal – 2pcs
Wheat flour – ½ cup
Bread crumbs – ½ cup
Cheese – 100 gm
Black pepper – for taste
Salt - for taste
Oil – for frying
Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
Parsley – to garnish
Tomato – 1 cup chopped
Oregano – 1 cup chopped
METHOD
Make a paste of flours. Add
some salt in it. Add garlic paste.
Slice the Brinjal, dip into the paste
of flour. Cover with bread crumbs.
Heat oil in a pan and deep fry all
slices in the same order. Spread
Chopped tomato and cheese on
every slice of Brinjal. Season with
oregano, pepper powder and
garnish with parsley.
PEPPERONI
PEPERONATA
Pepperoni Peperonata
INGREDIENTS
Red, Yellow, green peppers. - Sliced
Sliced Onion – 2 pcs
Garlic paste. – 1 tsp
Tomato sauce. – 2 tsp
Chilli sauce. – ½ tsp
Salt – for taste
Pepper powder. – for taste
Vinegar – ¼ tsp
Oregano – ½ tsp
Olive oil – 2 tbsp
Cheese – for garnish
METHOD
Heat oil in a frying pan. Add
garlic paste and onion and stir it
until it turns light brown. Deseeded
sliced peppers. Stir for two minutes
add salt, tomato sauce, chilli sauce,
vinegar pepper powder and cook
it. Uncover for a few minutes. Add
oregano at the end and garnish
with cheese.
The mixture will be thick. Remove
from heat and sprinkle a little cold
water on the work surface. Spread
mixture out onto it in an even
layer about 1/2 cm. Allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 220°C butter
baking dish. Use a biscuit cutter
to cut suji into round pieces. Place
the pieces in a baking dish. Pour
melted butter and sprinkle cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes until the top is
brown. Remove from the oven and
allow to stand for 5 minutes and
serve.
FRITTERS WITH
Veg Grains Salad
YOGURT
INGREDIENTS
Big brinjal or eggplant – 1
Olive Oil – 4 tbsp
VEG GRAINS For baking
Butter – 4 tbsp
Garlic – 1 tbsp ( grated)
Sparsely – chopped
SALAD Cheese – 6 tbsp
Green cardamom powder – 1 pinch
Bread crumbs – 4
INGREDIENTS Parmesan cheese – 150gm
Kidney beans (red rajma) boiled – Wheat flour – 3 tbsp
METHOD Oil for frying
100gm Heat the milk with salt and 1/3 of
Feta Cheese – 4 tbsp Yogurt – 1 cup
butter in a pan. When it boils, add Chat masala – according to taste
Cabbage – few leaves Suji. Stir continuously to prevent
Lettuce – 3 pcs Potato – 2 ( boiled)
lumps. Bring the mixture to boil.
Tomato – sliced Heat 10-15 minutes on simmer.
Black Pepper – for taste
Salt – for taste
Olives – 8-10 pcs Baked Gnocchi
METHOD
Arrange all slices in a dish plate.
Season with pepper powder.
Garnish with olives and cheese.
BAKED
GNOCCHI
INGREDIENTS
Milk – 2 cups
Suji – 1 cup
Butter – 3 tbsp
Parmesan cheese – 4 tbsp
Salt – for taste
METHOD Fritters With Yogurt
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Grease the eggplant and bake for
20 minutes until tender. Chop it and
mix it, with garlic, parsley, bread
crumbs, cheese, add salt pepper
and mix well. Keep aside for a few
minutes and add Boiled Potato.
Make balls of mixture. Place the
flour on a plate and season with
salt and pepper. Coat fritters in the
flour. Shallow fry the fritters until
they turn golden brown. Take off
on butter paper. Mix chat masala
in yogurt, and serve fritters with
yogurt. Cheesy Skewers
CHEESY METHOD
SKEWERS Cut each bread slice about 1 cm
thick. Cut slices of cheese 1/2 cm
INGREDIENTS thick. Preheat the oven to 220°C, basil leaves or parsley leaves and
White bread – 2pcs cut edges from bread. Cut each serve with sauce.
Mozzarella cheese or pizza cheese slice into four equal squares. Bake
– 75 gm for 4 minutes until squares are
Tomatoes – 4 pcs ( sliced) golden. Remove from the oven. FETTUCCINE
Basil leave for garnish
Black pepper powder – for taste
Make stacks, each starting with
a square of bread then a slice of WITH CREAM
Salt – for taste
Olive oil to brush
mozzarella, tomato and basil leaf.
Repeat it again. Push a skewer
AND TOMATO
Parsley, to garnish through each stack. And bake for INGREDIENTS
10-15 minutes until the cheese Fettuccine pasta – 200gm
begins to melt. Garnish with fresh Onion – 2 finely chopped
Butter – 4 tbsp
Cream – ¼ cup
Parmesan cheese – ¼ cup (grated)
Parsley to garnish
Salt for taste
Black pepper for taste
Mushroom – 6pcs (fried)
Tomato paste – 1 cup
Tomato sauce for taste
METHOD
Boil the pasta in a large pan of
the speedily boiling salted water.
Drain when it softens. Turn into
plate and oil it to avoid stick.
Melt butter in a pan. Add onion
fry lightly. Add tomato paste, Black
pepper, salt, cream, pasta and
mushroom. Stir it with steak and
serve hot. We
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Marriage I
t is said that marriage is
a relationship in which
independence is equal,
dependence is mutual and
obligation is reciprocal.
This goes to show that though
Is Not A Noun;
marriages are said to be made in
heaven, a good one has to be created
here on earth. This definitely is not
easy and neither can a marriage
It’s Verb
survive on a sense of duty or sacrifice
alone.
A recipe for an ideal marriage.

By Seema Nirupam
So how do some couples manage when couples are really together, Be demonstrative
to live together for janam, janam, facing the world. With a willing Cut loose. The dictionary is full
while others end up in separation so heart, anyone can strive towards a of words — words of love and
soon? perfect alliance. And it is never too appreciation that can work magic.
Neha and Mukul say they are late to make a fresh start as it is Many a time, we cease to express
blessed with each other. Married for not only marrying the right partner our feelings, assuming that the other
15 years, they are still to experience that counts; it is also being the right person knows how we feel. But we
to proverbial the seven-year itch. partner. ourselves crave to hear such words.
“I feel that the real love Don’t shy away from making the
actually grows with years of I FEEL THAT THE first move. Endearments revive
togetherness. It surpasses physical REAL LOVE ACTUALLY romance in life. Sit close to each
attractiveness or the romantic
atmosphere of the initial phase.
GROWS WITH YEARS other, hold hands and share little
secrets walk together.
Marriage is to care and share and OF TOGETHERNESS.
this attitude is reflected in the IT SURPASSES Respect privacy
little nothings your partner does.
Mukul keeps his promises, never
PHYSICAL Respect your partner’s privacy.
Usually, it happens that when
acts superior and respects me as a ATTRACTIVENESS husbands return home, they are
person,” reveals Neha, a teacher by OR THE ROMANTIC expected to spend all their time
profession. ATMOSPHERE OF with the children or in running
Mukul adds, “Neha and I share errands. Wives, as a rule, do not
perfect rapport. She loves me for
THE INITIAL PHASE. allow their husbands to have
what I am. And both of us have MARRIAGE IS TO any solitude so that they can be
enormous capacities to forgive and CARE AND SHARE at peace with themselves. Such
forget. We put bitter memories at husbands tend to bicker and pick
the back of beyond and they never
AND THIS ATTITUDE fights.
haunt us.” Together, they make IS REFLECTED IN THE It is essential to understand that
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Once, a model fell for him. When When even a petty matter becomes
Vishal tried to dissuade her, she a prestige issue, sour moments
started spreading rumours about pile up, attacking the roots of the
him. To top it all, Sara too blasted him relationship.
for betraying her love. Cracks began
to appear in their marriage pretty
One-upmanship kills
marriage
early. Soon they split up.
Marriages collapse when couples
There is no greater put-off in
begin to indulge in one-upmanship
marriage than a nosey wife or a try to “defeat” each other. There is
hawk-eyed husband. Scrutinising no dearth of men who can’t stand
letters or eaves dropping just goes their wives being well known.
to show that one is a shallow person Similarly, increasing number of
and is not worthy of being loved. women dislike the idea of taking their
Trust allows you to be more open husband’s surname.
and giving. If you trust your partner, They take this as meaning loss of
you are more likely to apologise identity. This is all right if it serves
for their shortcoming or behaviour some purpose, but beyond that, it
that upsets you because overall you depicts only egotism.
trust them and know they have your The result…?
back. Such couples live solitary lives
where they have only their own joys
MARRIAGE CLICKS and sorrows and have practically
WHEN COUPLES ARE nothing to share.
REALLY TOGETHER, In happy marriages couples
live together with a perspective.
FACING THE WORLD. “Whatever happens, we are
WITH A WILLING together,” they say.
HEART, ANYONE CAN Anger, they say is momentary
insanity, so it is essential to maintain
STRIVE TOWARDS A one’s dignity during combat. While
PERFECT ALLIANCE. arguing, many of us (those with
AND IT IS NEVER TOO good memories) tend to bring
up the past and to throw it in the
some time for himself or herself so LATE TO MAKE A other’s face.
that they can bounce back to face FRESH START AS IT IS The issue being debated might
the next day. Respect your partner’s
individuality, for that’s what you
NOT ONLY MARRYING be trivial but this practice makes a
mountain out of a molehill. So, keep
married him for. Never try to extract THE RIGHT PARTNER to the point or the argument will
secrets out of him or her and keep THAT COUNTS. leave bitter memories.
the ones you know. Also, don’t hesitate to apologise
Compromise if you are in the wrong. In fact if you
Have trust Act mature when the other do, your mate may be inspired to
Have faith in your partner or you person throws tantrums or loses his follow suit. Blissful marriages just
will live a life full of turmoil. Trusting or her temper. don’t happen on their own. They
others is a virtue and it shows that need to be worked on. For some
the person concerned has a lot of Ego lucky couples, the honeymoon never
inner strength. Also, it is better to This lethal term can destroy the ends.
trust and be deceived rather than not very foundations of a marriage. In Such couples have common
to trust at all. love, one does not count the number objectives and they approve of
Sara was head and heels in love of times one won an argument or each other’s sentiments. They laugh
with Vishal. After crossing many lost one. Love is preserving the together, express gratitude and
hurdles they finally got married. She sanctity of marriage. never go to sleep angry.
was totally committed to Vishal, Even the most tuned-in partners They believe love is a state of
who was the be all and end all of her sometimes lock horns. Such minor mind and heart and they don’t
existence. conflicts, however, are healthy mirror settle for anything less than total
Vishal was an executive with a of individuality each partner has commitment.
top modeling agency and had erratic retained. The situation turns grave These couples remain united
working hours. when neither offers to compromise. through better and worse. We
His surly tone was usually a result
of his own inability to communicate
coupled with a fear of confrontation.
He had no idea I found his tone so
scary and condescending. When I
told him about it, he was floored.
I started talking to couples who
had been married for 20, 30, 40, or 50
or more years about their marriages.
“Did you ever go through a rough
patch?” I asked. Usually, one or both
of them would laugh and say, “Oh
The Funeral Stage of someone I should have never married yes, did we ever!”
in the first place. After they finished telling
Marriage She listened to me patiently. Then me about all of the hard times, I
About four years ago, our kid she asked, “What have you done to would ask, “Do you regret staying
ran away from us at the grocery save your marriage?” together?” Not once has a couple
store. I followed her down And then I admitted that I had tried answered that question with a,
the pasta aisle where she was nothing. She made me promise to try “Yes.”
holding a big jar of red sauce. At something, marital counseling perhaps. And that’s when I got my answer.
that moment, I understood why If it didn’t work, then “sure,” she said, More and more couples are realising
parents do this. It all became “get a divorce.” that being happily married is not a
clear. They are just too tired, not I decided to read my way to a mystical sensation spread by fairy
appreciated, overwhelmed, and better marriage instead of going to a dust. Rather it is a skill.
annoyed to have to deal with counseling. I bought book after book. You can either learn or perfect
another mess. I studied Internet site after site. And I that skill with your current spouse,
That’s why I sweet-talked tried tip after tip. or you can learn it with the next one.
that jar of sauce from my baby’s Oddly, some of it worked. Slowly Either way, to be happily married,
clumsy little hands as if it were the over time, I realised My husband wasn’t you have to perfect it.
most precious and delicate family as evil as I once thought. He is clueless Now, we are happily married and
heirloom. I brought it back and unable to read my mind? The man if someone today asks me if I regret
to the shelf. actually wanted to make me happy. He giving my marriage another chance,
When I finally found my just didn’t have knowhow. my answer will be ‘no’. I’m glad I
husband, I was still short of breath He wasn’t the source of all of our didn’t give up on my marriage or else
following. In his trademark hoarse marital problems. He didn’t piss me off we would never be happy.
voice, he said, “While you were on purpose. –By Vanshika Gupta
having a good time, I was here
trying to figure out what
Yes, how did you? Contributions should be neatly written
to buy.”
We see many marriages floundering on one side of the paper. A declaration
That night, I came home and but we also see marriages between the that it is your own true personal story
started writing a novel about a unlikeliest of spouses, not only surviving but must accompany the contribution. If
woman who kills her husband and growing stronger with the years. Thanks you so desire, your name will not be
gets away with it. to the tactics of one wise partner! Truly, a published and you can use any
Life had drained out of our person’s successful marriage pen-name
marriage slowly and steadily. just does not happen, it has to be Send your entries to:
Each new argument was like a worked at.
paper cut. Taken alone, it wasn’t We would like to know as to how you WOMAN’S ERA,
a big deal. When added to all of overcame the crisis of a break-up or discord Delhi Press Building,
the other problems, it was nearly in your married life. E-3, Jhandewala Estate,
lethal. Did your husband (or wife) have an
New Delhi-110 055
infuriating habit, a hot temper, miserly
By the time our daughter was or click to www.womansera.com
ways, a roving eye or a lazy disposition?
nearly three, I was planning my Since he is your husband, how did you for submission
escape. On Mother’s Day, I had cope with the situation Name.......................................................
dinner with a divorced friend. For and keep your marriage happy and Address...................................................
45 minutes, I ranted about my home safe? ................................................................
husband and tried to convince her Share your secret with us and millions of City................................ Pin...................
that he was evil and a mistake, a our readers all across the world.
person not good enough for me,
Makeup
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Glowing makeup for the win.
Step 1
Firstly, apply Before makeup
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2
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4
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Apply a lighter
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definition.
Step 5 Step 6
Fill in the brows To give more
using the thin tip drama to your
of the pencil, and eyes, apply
make short, hair- eyelashes.
like strokes in an
upward motion.
Step 7 Step 8
Apply setting Outline your
powder near the lips with a
centre of your beautiful
face. Buff in small shade of lip
circles lightly with liner and then
your brush. apply a similar
shade of
lipstick.
Step 9
Lastly, complete
your look with
the deepest
eyeshadow on your
lower lash line.
Credit Line: All set to

Model: Almaas Khan shine-up the
Make-up Artist: Micky party night!
Facing The World
Calmly
What we give is what we get. By Shailza
I
t seems like that people often
feel it is important to respond to
anger or violence with immediate
violent action. Tolerance and
patience should not be read as a
sign of weakness. They are signs of
strength. But tolerance and patience
do not mean you accept whatever
consequences develop. Tolerance
means that you should not develop
anger or hatred.
Patience is the strength which a
person needs to live a good life in
the world today. It is a quality that
all of us can develop and improve
on at any stage of life. Actually,
we never give a serious thought to
knowing our patience or impatience
level. We hardly realise that we can
even set our patience levels on our
own, through strong will power and
determination.
Unfortunately, most of us never
try to explore this inner strength of
ours and give up so easily in day to
day life. This giving up nature of ours
puts us in more troubles most of the
time. Always remember, patience is
to undergo a tough period but wait
calmly for a result that you expect,
without losing your temper and
being anxious or frustrated.
The level of patience can only
be achieved by practising to
enhance tolerance, compassion,
understanding and even accepting
them wholeheartedly, those whose
maturity level, sense to behave
correctly in difficult situations and
ability to cope with challenges are
less than yours.
One should understand that the
setbacks are a natural force, which
lead one to explore one’s own
potential and hidden talents.
It also helps in personal growth, THE QUESTION environment around you. It will bring
because it will make one learn those Now, the question arises: How to lots of positive energy back to make
things about life and oneself, which increase the patience level or how to you cheerful and happier than ever.
one may not have learnt or realised deal with this issue? Whenever you feel that you have
otherwise. By being impatient, Each person is a different reached a level where you are not in
people put themselves at the risk of personality, so the same rule cannot a position to take any more, just sit
always being stressed, dissatisfied be applicable to all. As patience is a back and take a deep breath instead
with life, upset even for little things, very sensitive subject. of giving an immediate reaction.
and angry at themselves for their Meditation is the first thing which Taking deep breaths in and out will
slow pace of growth, etc. They lose is highly recommended to increase help you to calm down and analyse
hope in life and then there is no the patience level and helps generate the situation carefully so that you can
control over their anger and temper. the positive energy. make right decisions.
They keep having outbursts every When you are positive towards Another interesting way to
now and then which further damage life and people, you will broadcast increase your patience level is to be
their professional and personal life. your positive vibes into the around other impatient people and
Then things start falling apart just observe them when they lose their
like sand, which quickly falls off the MEDITATION IS temper or patience.
cracks if you try to hold it tightly and HIGHLY Basically, we don’t realise things
impatiently. till the time we see them happening
Whenever things are not working
RECOMMENDED to us. If you find their behaviour
out as expected, some people TO INCREASE childish or stupid, imagine what
start blaming others, disrespecting THE PATIENCE impression others would be getting
relationships, people, their jobs, etc. LEVEL. WHEN YOU of you when you behave in similar
They end up wasting their energy manner.
worrying about why things are ARE POSITIVE Impatient behaviour reflects the
moving so slowly, what will happen TOWARDS LIFE AND amount of stress being encountered
next and how and when things will PEOPLE, YOU WILL in routine life. Therefore, the first
change instead of directing that step is to identify the type of stress.
energy towards bringing the desired BROADCAST YOUR Then analyse the source from which
changes to their lives. POSITIVE VIBES INTO it’s coming from and find a way to
As a result, they withdraw from THE ENVIRONMENT minimise it.
a situation which may be moving Otherwise, the people may
in a direction to get better sooner
AROUND YOU. take advantage by using your
or later, because they can’t see any shortcoming of being impatient,
result of their efforts at that point of against you, for their benefit.
time. I suggest be calm as you may
They turn off those people who have to handle many issues in your
genuinely want to support them life simultaneously and make right
but crib all the time for what they decisions. It could be handling your
couldn’t achieve due to the lack of committed relationships and fulfilling
resources or guidance. your responsibilities in your married
It makes them pessimistic about life, towards your family, job, career
life and restricts their vision to see advancement, etc.
only the ‘half empty glass’ rather All you have to do is to
than the ‘half filled glass’. Finally, understand that gradual change and
they lose even the slightest ray of growth are far more durable than
hope and motivation to keep on anything else. Believe that all your
trying. I am not saying that one efforts, sacrifices and compromises
should wait and wait forever but, are silently playing a vital role in
yes, I would seriously like to say enhancing your personality and self-
that one should give time to things, esteem.
people or situations to gain a better In the end, I would again like to
perspective before say that “Patience is the
jumping to a conclusion strength that a person
without knowing the needs to live his or
facts or give up without her life successfully,
trying where he or she can peacefully and
actually win. respectfully.” We
Shoorrty
St
Wh a t Ha r r y
Me a n t t o Li z
Lifelong love. By Elsa Lycias Joel
A
Decades passed. An email forward from ctually Liz felt her mother’s cousin leaving
keenly exultant. her further and further
an acquaintance gave Liz a jolt. She It was a time that behind. There was no way
read and re-read the email id. Too many is burnt indelibly into her the little girl could run to
questions ran across her mind: Was it memory. Harry smiled him, hold on to him. Never
at her. Then after a few heard of ‘puppy love’ or
him! What if it’s not him? If it’s him, will hours of chat with Liz’s ‘crush’ but Liz was falling
he remember me? Will he care to reply! parents and relatives, he in love, over and over with
Is this just a coincidence or a destiny. turned and walked away. her uncle’s smile, his name
Liz was silent for a few and the way she got all
moments as she gazed at his attention. A brief chat
Liz grew up to be a beautiful

young woman, a dutiful wife, a
loving mother of three children
and a writer in her own small
ways. At any rate, Liz’s love for
Harry remained unrequited.
with mother Beth ensued. Why did I scan through the Sharing good old stories, loving word and gesture,
In a piece of paper Liz carbon copy! Memories recipes and dialect of their sometimes writhing at the
tried calculating how old came flooding. Memories native village spiced up thought of her childishness
Harry will be when she of longing came flooding their lives. Two decades and immature reasoning.
turns 20. She seemed to like a sea drowning her. was a long gap yet time Even so, when Liz argued
succeed in her maths while A desperate longing had given them a common and fought over issues she
Beth chose not to reply. remained throughout to reference and respect. sensed Harry’s affectionate
Keeping her eyes focused just see him somewhere They talked as adored tolerance for her. Through
on the frying pan as well may be at a wedding or uncle and fondest niece his gestures, he so
as her daughter’s eyes at a relative’s house or a and quickly discovered powerfully conveyed the
Beth wondered why her family reunion. Not every they were indispensible to essence of himself, his love.
daughter was so excited, day, but many a day, the each other. Just because Harry loved
very eager to know more of name ‘Harry’ flashed across Liz and wanted to be with
Harry, who she met for the her mind creating a feeling Memories of longing her, he did things her way.
first time. of longing. The email ID came flooding like a
B eth comforted herself

thinking that Liz must
seemed to give Liz hopes,
fears and doubts, in one
go. A spray of cold water
sea drowning her.
Not every day, but
W hen Liz wanted to
turn a freelance
writer, Harry helped
be intent on proving her on the face helped Liz many a day, the her measure herself in
maths ability. Still, she kept calm down and she typed name ‘Harry’ flashed terms other than money.
sweeping the spoon all excitedly, “I’m Liz. Hope Over the years, Liz saw
over the pan anxiously as you are one among the across her mind in her uncle an unusual
Liz continued calculating four brothers.” For the creating a feeling of man – broadminded,
and fantasising. ‘Kid talk’, next 10 days or so, logging longing. The email but he had the sensitive
the mother dismissed. Just in to the email account a emotion and a strong
then, as if in answer to lot more than usual didn’t ID seemed to give memory of emotions
Beth’s anxiety, Liz yelled, seem so tiring but was Liz hopes, fears and too. Throughout her life,
“Yay! So, I can marry so disappointing for Liz. doubts, in one go. Harry was both present
him”. The next minute The wait was anxious as and absent; participating
the nine-year-old talked she waited for any reply Uncle Harry turning in unforgotten moments.
and behaved as if Harry from Harry. One day, in Santa every month was All in the family knew
never existed in spite of complete desperation one of the best things that for Liz, Harry was a
the whole family studying Liz decided to check all Liz loved about him. compelling, real presence
her eyes to size up her folders. Bingo! The most Any gift, big or small from the start. A man who
intentions. awaited reply lay in the was bought, tastefully favoured love for the sake
The clock’s hands moved Spam folder. Harry had wrapped and sent with of love.
to 24:00, she completed mentioned the colour of love. The thoughtfulness It all went like clockwork.
school and went on to the frock Liz was in when that went into all acts of From the day Harry replied
university. Beth could only he first saw her. Liz felt his pampering made Liz Liz’s email until today, not a
watch and wait. Liz grew her goosebumps and her go numb with disbelief day elapsed. Liz’s instincts
up to be a beautiful young mind screamed with joy because everything rarely failed her.
woman, a dutiful wife, a as she typed in her phone was lavish in its colours, Life wouldn’t have
loving mother of three number. textures and designs. been so full for the uncle
children and a writer in her Every piece of cloth he and niece who fit in so
own small ways. At any
rate, Liz’s love for Harry
remained unrequited.
A new day; Wednesday,
11 May, 2011. Liz
heard her phone beep.
bought suited Liz perfectly.
Harry’s gifts mirrored his
spare taste or pared-down
perfectly in each other’s
worlds. In a close friend
he confide, “I’m divided
Decades passed. An A message flashed, “I’m aesthetic. Both had a lot to between Liz and a life
email forward from an one amongst the four.” be thankful for each other. with her and my other
acquaintance gave Liz a As she read the message, No act of love seemed so obligations. I’ve to get
jolt. She read and re-read Liz felt belonged. From fleeting as they helped along with my divided self
the email id. Too many then on, every day was a each other live a life of the best way I can.”
questions ran across her day to celebrate. In some fulfilment and gratitude. Whenever Harry
mind; Was it him? What if way or the other, Harry On visits, Harry endearingly tells Liz: “You
it’s not him? If it’s him, will remained when Liz played seemed so poised and and I against the world,”
he remember me? Will he her multiple roles as a self-possessed. After she smiles; he smiles as
care to reply! Is this just a daughter, wife, mother he left, Liz would relive they share their little
coincidence or a destiny! and an aspiring writer. each encounter, every conspiracy. We
Pop Up
You r G l o w ! 2
021 was all about going minimal
as the Covid-19 era refuesed to
exit. At the same time, last year
brought the industry closer to the
use of technology. As it was quite
unlikely for people to visit stores and
A peek into beauty trends for 2022. try on the products they bought,
trends like virtual try-on and virtual
By Anjali Kochchar shopping experiences dominated the
beauty world.
We are already half way through
2022, so here is a beauty trend
forecast that will sort the rest of the
year out for you.
With an assortment of opinions
from expert brands, beauty
influencers, and consumers, here is a
peek into the beauty trends that will
dominate 2022, including skincare,
shades, the collaboration of beauty
and technology and a lot more.
It’s a season to make some loud
noise!
While 2021 was all about finding
beauty in silences by letting subtle
shades shine on, 2022 is likely to
make the messages loud and clear
that this is the season of going bold,
letting strokes shine bright, and the
shades speak volumes.
Popular beauty blogger Debasree
Banerjee believes that neons will
dominate in 2022.
Adding to Banerjee’s opinion,
beauty enthusiast and influencer
Ayushi Tyagi says that along with
neon, next summer season will be
dominated by pastels and ivory
shades, meanwhile, she said, red will
be “out of the picture”.
Social media influencers made
it clear that purple is the new pink
when it comes to blushing. And from ON DRAMATIC EYES,
where we can see, people actually BELL SAYS, “SMOKY
found lavender, purple, and violet EYES AND STATEMENT
better in eye shadows and blush.
“Not a single colour can dominate
LINER ARE REALLY
the entire year,” says Simran KEY FOR 2022... A
Bhatnagar, a content expert at W LITTLE NOD TO A
Beauty. We think she said it all at PUNKY AND GRUNGY
once! Above all, the shades belonged
to a similar pop family of colours. AESTHETIC, WINGED
But another popular opinion is that AND ELONGATED
darker shades will take the floor SHAPES ARE THE
this year.
Anmol Wadhwani, Instagram
PERFECT WAY TO ADD
beauty influencer, opines that dark A LITTLE DRAMA IN AN
browns and maroons will add to the EFFORTLESS WAY.
highlights of the beauty trends in the
next year. Well-known beauty brand Pixi
Shubhii Verma, a beauty Beauty’s Global Director of Education
enthusiast and social media manager, and Artistry, Amanda Bell believes
adds, “In the past few years, we all that 2022 will bring back the 90s
have seen a lot of nude lips but I beauty references.
think darker shades will pave the way “From bright and bold to
back in.” What spices up your skin Supermodel nude, those fantastic and
tone completely depends on you, but expressive 90’s nuances are coming
definitely, we got the message loud back,” she says adding that the
and clear! Isn’t it? easiest way to create this is to “bring
in a lip colour that encapsulates the
Be the 90s Pop Princess! creative pop of colour that is either
Another question that continues 90’s pop princess or catwalk queen.”
to intrigue us when speaking of On 90s looks, Banerjee says,
beauty trends is: Would the retro “They’ll always be classics, except for
look manage to surface again? thin eyebrows. I don’t mind any
On that, we received responses of the retro trends coming
that resonated with what we believe back. Especially the 90s’
too! 90s dominance will not fade neutral supermodel
away any soon. looks.”
Meanwhile, Wadhwani believes NOT JUST SKINCARE,
bold red lips and winged-eye liners
could return in 2022. TAKE CARE OF
On dramatic eyes, Bell says, THAT BEAUTIFUL
“Smoky eyes and statement liner SMILE, TOO! IT IS
are really key for 2022... a little nod
to a punky and grungy aesthetic,
NO SECRET THAT
winged and elongated shapes are the BEAUTY PRODUCTS
perfect way to add a little drama in LOOK THE BEST ON
an effortless way.”
Experts and influencers might
FLAWLESS SKIN. TO
set trends, but consumers are the KEEP THE GLOWING
ones who decide whether to accept SPOT ON, THE KEY IS
or let go of them. So, we could not TO ADHERE TO A SELF-
miss the widely accepted view on
the 90s trends catching attention
CARE AND SIMPLE
in 2022. DAILY ROUTINE FOR
Verma, who loves keeping up THE SKIN. SELFCARE IS
with beauty trends, says, “Definitely,
retro beauty is gonna return in
ABSOLUTELY KEY FOR
2022. Moreover, retro eye makeup PERFECT SKIN.
is all about the cat eye and winged
eyeliner, and that is already in trend. posts and blogs talk about people While 90s’ beauty is expected to
A lot of blush and you’re all set for a showing a growing interest in a more have a huge comeback in the next
perfect retro look and who doesn’t defined arch rather than going for year, it would be up to you to decide
like blush anyway!!” fuller brows. whether to go retro or walk with the
The 90s beauty will also return in Popstar Rihanna is a perfect time.
the form of people widely accepting example of the fact that slender, Not just skincare, take care of
thin eyebrows. A lot of social media sculptured brows still look chic. that beautiful smile, too! It is no
secret that beauty products look the
best on flawless skin. To keep the
glowing spot on, the key is to adhere
to a self-care and simple daily routine
for the skin. Many DIY skincare
videos surfaced in 2021, and many
more are ready to take the floor this
year.
Pixi Beauty’s Bell says, “Selfcare
and a simple daily routine are
absolutely key, and the little extras
like multi-masking are bringing
the expertise from world-class
aestheticians directly to your
bathroom.”
She recommends the use of
detoxifying and deep pore cleansing
masks to keep the skin hydrated.
On skincare, Wadhwani points to
the increasing use of facial tools like
face massagers, wrinkle tightening
tools, all-in-one facial hair tools and
so on.
“There’s a lot to discuss when we
come to skincare. The facial tools are
talked about so much but still not
given that much attention. Slowly,
people are changing and trying to
emphasise the use of facial tools and
I feel it’ll again be highlighted more in
the coming year,” she says.
Adding to it, Tyagi points to the
use of tools like quartz roller and
Guasha, which she adds, “are very
trending these days that help in
reducing puffiness and improve
blood circulation.”
Ravina Jain, founder and CEO of
The Skin Story, says, “Though not
needed every day, these tools are a
good addition to effective skincare
routines and help bring long-lasting
results.”
Meanwhile, Banerjee believes
that when it comes to skincare, the
importance of sunscreen should
not be ignored anymore. Verma
added to the importance of “home
skincare routines” still being
relevant.
Summing up, Jain says, “Skincare
is a growing segment and 2022 is set
to witness quite a few additions with
a definite shift in focus towards slow Lastly, a collab of beauty and technology
beauty, minimalistic skincare, and
new skincare routines.” It is believed that the future hassle of exchange and returns in
Well, if beauty is defined by our of the beauty industry is backed the next year.
face then how can we ignore the by artificial intelligence. With the Meanwhile, Wadhwani was
power of a beautiful and bright Covid-19 lockdown, the interest still sceptical about the tool’s
smile? grew tremendously in technology- accuracy and looks forward to
In 2022, it will not only be about based trends in the beauty more precision being added to
us taking care of our skin, but also industry. the trend. Similar was the opinion
about preserving our beautiful For example, the recently of Tyagi, who said, “I don’t think
smiles. launched LO’real’s Color&Co, virtual try-on will do that great,
We have heard since childhood where people have to answer three because we all have different skin
that it is important to take extra care questions about their hair needs types and every shade looks very
of dental hygiene and keep in touch and then the system gets them in different on camera than it does
with the dentist and we ignored touch with hair experts for a video when you apply to the skin.”
it like every other piece of advice. call. One of the commonest trends However, she believes that 2022
But, who knew this will become a that have been widely adopted is could be a game-changer if the
crucial factor influencing our beauty, the virtual try-on. Big brands like try-on feature gets some advanced
someday? Nykaa have been leveraging this updates. Well, nothing can stop a
Dr Namrata Rupani, founder trend since long and 2022 is all set perfect collab of technology and
and CEO, of Capture Life Dental to add more precision and quality the beauty industry in the next
Care, says, “A genuine smile instils to such AI-backed trends. year as we can foresee.
confidence and trust,” pointing out On virtual try on, Banerjee said, We think that you are now all
how tooth staining can impact the “I think after Covid, everyone has set to embrace the rest of 2022, as
overall facial smile. She is confident been shopping online and with beauty secrets from the industry
that beauty experts will cover this beauty not being able to try on experts are out. Cheers to the
crucial factor while releasing the makeup before actually purchasing beautiful smiles you will have and
beauty trends for 2022. was one of the biggest fallbacks. spread with the beauty tips you
Beauty influencers and With this tool, we are kind of trying gathered from this piece.
consumers, we spoke to, found to bridge that gap.” Until next time, a pro-tip-
her take on the importance of Beauty enthusiast Mridu before anything else — Make sure
dental care to be listed in 2022 Malhotra was also confident that you stay hydrated to keep the
beauty trends very “useful” and virtual try-on is going to reduce the glowing spot on. We
“interesting.”
From
Fairytales
To
Fantasy…
Glossy outfits for your little fashionista.
Let her shine.
Life is a fashion show;

the world is her runway.
Let your princess

love the fun of
clothes, not the
status of fashion.
A great dress can
make her remember
what is beautiful
Give your girl the about life.
confidence and
she can conquer
the world.
Seeds of
Great Health
Flaxseed the new wonder food.
By Aparna Pradhan
C
an you imagine a tiny seed —
slightly larger than a sesame
seed — taking care of your
overall health? Believe it or not, but it
is a fact that the tiny seeds of flax are
a true health food.
The seeds treasured by people
for thousands of years have made
a comeback as a super-food for
wellness. The seeds are very small
but the health benefits they offer are
very big.
Research has unveiled the hidden
potentials of flax seeds in promoting
good health. This nutritional wonder
is capable of taking good care of the
heart, besides offering protection
against the dreaded disease cancer,
and improving the overall health. NUTRITIONAL PROFILE
The seeds have beneficial effects The seeds are a storehouse of
on every cell of the body. The credit healthy nutrients and contain the
for this goes to the rich nutritional following power-packed compounds:
profile of the seed.
Flax, also known as common flax Omega-3 fatty acids
or linseed, is an annual plant. The They are one of the richest
plant thrives well in moist, soil-rich sources of alpha linolenic acids
clay, sand and silt. The plant grows (ALA), an essential fatty acid that the
up to a height of three metres and body requires but is unable to make.
produces blue five-petal flowers. It has to be obtained from food
The round fruit of the flax plant sources. ALA is precursor to omega-3
produces tiny seeds that have hard, fatty acids EPA and DHA. Flax seed oil
smooth and shiny shells. Deep amber is a great alternative for vegetarians
to reddish-brown in colour, the seeds who cannot take fish or fish oil
are available in two varieties – brown supplements for omega-3 fatty acids.
and gold.
Whether the seeds are of the Fibre protein and lignans
golden or brown variety, the Flax seeds are a great source of
nutrients in these seeds offer lignans and fibre. Whole flax seeds
amazing health benefits. Flax seed oil contain soluble as well as insoluble
(also called linseed oil) is extracted fibre. The seeds are also a good
from these seeds. source of proteins.
Vitamins and minerals Flax offers the following l Lower blood triglycerides.
The seeds offer a generous l Prevent the build-up of dangerous
health benefits
amount of foliate, vitamins B6 and Flax seeds fight cholesterol and plaques in the arteries and
E and other phenolic compounds. promote heart health. hardening of the arteries, thereby
The seeds are also a good source Flax seeds, high in omega-3 fatty preventing heart attack or stroke.
of minerals like calcium, iron, l Reduces blood
acid content, are beneficial to heart
manganese, magnesium, phosphorus health. The seeds offer the following platelet aggregation (clot
and zinc potential heart disease-fighting formation) in arteries.
l Thins the blood and improves
benefits:
HOW TO USE THEM l Lower blood pressure.
blood flow.
To enjoy maximum health l Reduce total cholesterol and LDL,
benefits, nutrition experts the bad cholesterol. Flax seeds combat cancer
recommend the use of ground flax l Laboratory studies confirm the
seed so that the nutrients can be potential of flax seed nutrients in
best absorbed. Whole seeds are hard THE NUTRIENTS IN reducing the formation,
and difficult to chew. Eating whole THE FLAX SEEDS growth and progression of
seeds without chewing are of no use PROMOTE HEALTHY hormone-dependent cancers such
as they will pass out undigested in as prostate, colon and melanoma
the stool. Grind the seeds in a dry
SKIN, HAIR GROWTH (skin) cancer.
mixer or coffee grinder and store in AND HEALTHY NAILS.
the refrigerator for use. HELP REVITALISE Flax seeds and women’s health
l Breast cancer
l Add ground flax seeds to the
salads or yogurt.
SKIN, BESIDES KEEPING Lignans in flax seeds are plant-
l Sprinkle flax seed powder onto THE SKIN WELL based oestrogen that shows a lot
hot or cold breakfast cereals. MOISTURISED. of promise in reducing the risk
l The powdered seeds can be PREVENT NAILS of breast cancer. Lignans, also
sprinkled over cooked vegetables. known as plant-based compounds
l Flax seeds may be added to baked
FROM CRACKING AND or phyto-oestrogens, mimic
goods like breads, muffins and BREAKING. the action of natural human
cakes. oestrogen. Some studies suggest
l Ground flax seed may be added to that dietary intake of flax seed
smoothies or shakes. reduces the progression of tumour
l The powder can be sprinkled over growth in patients with breast
cottage cheese. cancer.
l Flax seed oil in combination with l Eases menopausal symptoms
equal amounts of olive oil Regular intake of flax seeds can
and some lemon juice can be used help in alleviating the menopausal
as salad dressing. symptoms like night sweat,
depression, mood swings and hot
HEALTH BENEFITS flashes.
The nutrients in the seed and oil
of the plant offer innumerable health Flax seeds boost brain health
benefits. Health benefits range from l Omega-3 fats of flax seeds
health of the nail, hair, skin to heart improve memory, help nerve cells
health. communicate better and make the
Flax seeds fight high cholesterol, brain sharp and smart.
high blood pressure, heart disease, l Regular intake of flax seeds can
diabetes, cancer, menopausal keep depression, memory loss,
symptoms, inflammation, arthritis, mental disorders and Alzheimer’s
memory loss and dry eyes. It disease at bay.
gives a boost to the immune
system and can help maintain Flax seeds for enhancing
or lose weight. Omega-3 fatty beauty
acids and high fibre of the l The nutrients in the flax seeds
seeds are the biggest tools to promote healthy skin, hair growth
fight against diabetes. It has and healthy nails.
been used as a laxative to fight l Help revitalise skin, besides
constipation for thousands of years. keeping the skin well moisturised.
l Prevent nails from cracking and to your problem. Regular use l Pregnant women and breast
breaking. of ground flax seeds can help feeding women should avoid using
l Flax seed oil can keep dry scalp and alleviate and prevent constipation. flax seeds.
dandruff at bay. It is very important to drink plenty l Flax seeds may slow down
of water during and after eating the absorption of some oral
Flax seeds fight inflammation flax seeds so that there is no medications if taken at the same
l Flaxseed oil can be a great boon difficulty in bowel movement. time. Prefer having flax seeds
for people suffering from arthritis at least an hour before or after
and gout. Omega 3 fats present IMPORTANT TIPS having medicines.
in its seeds help in reducing l Drink a lot of water when l People with bleeding disorder
inflammation. consuming flax seeds. should not use flax seed.
l a significant factor in conditions l Consume ground flax seeds within
such as asthma, osteoarthritis and 15 days so that they do not turn
rheumatoid arthritis. rancid.
HOME REMEDIES
l It also helps in reducing the USING FLAX SEEDS
intensity of joint pains. SAFETY ALERTS Flax-seed scrub
l Talk to your doctor before using Combine half a cup of finely
Flax seeds can fight diabetes the flax seeds if you are on some ground flax seeds with cream or milk
l Flax seeds are helpful in prescription medication. and mix thoroughly to make a paste.
maintaining healthy levels of l Those on hormone therapy or This scrub can be used every day for
blood sugar. Significant reduction oral contraceptives should use a soft and moisturised skin. This is a
in the levels of blood sugar has flax seeds under the supervision great scrub for keeping dry skin at
been reported in a study where of the healthcare professional as bay in winters.
individuals eat flax seed bread. flax seeds may alter the hormone
levels. Moisturising cream for skin
Flax seeds can aid weight loss In a blender put four teaspoonful
There is a strong relationship of ground flax seed powder, four
between flax seeds and weight loss. THE SEEDS ARE A teaspoonfuls of fresh cream, a slice
l Low in carbohydrates and high in STOREHOUSE OF of avocado and one teaspoonful of
fibre and omega-3 fats make flax HEALTHY NUTRIENTS honey to make a smooth, creamy
seeds ideal for those trying to lose paste. Apply it on your face, neck and
or maintain weight.
ADD GROUND FLAX hands. This cream will moisturise the
l The high fibre content creates a SEEDS TO THE SALADS skin well and prevent wrinkles. Wash
feeling of satiation makes you feel OR YOGURT. SPRINKLE off with lukewarm water. Use this
full and satisfied for a longer time FLAX SEED POWDER cream daily to keep the skin young,
so that you don’t overeat. soft and supple.
l If you are suffering from ONTO HOT OR COLD l Topical application of flax seed
constipation, flax is the answer BREAKFAST CEREALS. oil can heal sunburns, acne and
eczema.
l For getting rid of moles, make a
paste by combining ground flax
seeds, flax seed oil and honey and
apply to the mole. After a few
applications the mole will fall off.
l Massage flax seed oil into the scalp
to tackle dry scalp. Leave it for 10-
15 minutes before washing off the
hair. The omega-3 fats and vitamins
will moisturise and nourish the
scalp and promote hair growth.
l Flax seeds are very effective in
alleviating gout or arthritic joint
pains. Make a flax seed poultice by
adding water to the ground flax
seeds to make a paste.
Enjoy the nutty flavour of the
seeds, reap the amazing health
benefits and stay healthy. We
I was taken aback as I did not was surprising how he managed
anticipate a response from Mr to crack my withdrawn personality
Grump. I became slightly nervous and get me talking and also
thinking if I made a mistake in accepting his proposal. At the same
commenting about a third person time, they were equally thrilled as
whom I didn’t know much about. To both our families knew each other
make things worse Mr Grump sent for a long time. Our wedding took
me a friend request and started place in our small humble town
messaging me on FB messenger, with great joy and splendour.
introducing himself and trying to When I sit back and think, I feel I
initiate a conversation with me. have been extremely lucky to have
Feeling a bit cornered and kind accepted Mr Grump as my husband.
of obliged to respond (as I took the He turned out to be the most kind,
liberty to comment about him on generous and witty man whom I
Meeting Mr Grump a Facebook for all to see), I began keep falling in love every day, again
I met my soulmate at the most to exchange courtesies and replied and again.
unexpected time, place and age. him. Sometimes a soulmate is here
Prior to knowing him, I had I found him quiet interesting, to shake us out of complacency,
no serious intentions of getting open and straightforward to chat to challenge us to think and to
married and was a highly focused with. He was not some flirt like act differently, to grow beyond
professional at work. It was a I secretly feared. We started to our comfort zones. This is never
period when I was looking forward have long chats on messenger smooth and peaceful. Yet with
for better work opportunities and and moved from messenger to that same soulmate, there are
spent a great deal of time on job WhatsApp conversations and calls. I and will be moments of exquisite
portals. That special day, however, was very much attracted to him and connection, serenity, and
I was mentally tired after job search looked forward for his messages harmony.
and switched to Facebook for some and calls. From short calls our I believe everyone could
diversion and relaxation. calls branched to hours. We soon discover their soulmate. However,
One of my neighbour’s kids discovered that we had so much to find your soulmate, you must
posted a photo of his uncle who to talk and never ended up being first understand that humans are
was posing with a grumpy looking bored of each other. not meant to be alone and that
face. After couple of weeks, suddenly the purpose of a relationship is not
It was quiet amusing to see out of the blue he confessed his merely to get our individual needs
someone posing with a grumpy face love for me and proposed me. met—but rather as a challenge to
when we are in an age of camera Being a shy, strict and withdrawn grow—and to help our partners
ready and ever willing to say cheese person, I was with a strong opinion reach their potential.
for a click. So, without thinking much that such traits don’t attract men. – Sofiya Fenwick Arakkonam
I just commented what popped on Hence, I was a bit shocked and
my mind, “Your uncle might have thought he was playing a rude HOW I MET MY HUSBAND
not liked the person who clicked pank on me. I began to get very
WOMAN’S ERA invites you to
the shot – probably that’s why he is defencive.
True Incident
share your ‘secret’ with its readers;

putting on a grumpy face.” But he was very patient, firm and how and when the spark that kindled
Now, this grump posing matured with me. He assured me your whole being and generated that
man was the son of my father’s lovingly that he was truly serious splendid feeling, came out.
colleague and we were neighbours about me and it was my withdrawn, Did you meet him in your
college? Was he a childhood friend
as well. All I knew about him was strict personality that he found or an office colleague? Or was it
he was the youngest son of my very attractive. True to his words, love at first sight? And what did you
father’s colleague, he was my super he took the lead and initiated his find in him that changed the course
senior at school, he now works in family to contact mine formally of your life?
the Middle-east and we have never asking for my hand in marriage. Contributions should be of about
500 words, typed or neatly written
spoken to each other before. Both our families were very on one side of the paper only.
Instead of getting a reply from surprised to know how we could
my kid friend on FB, I got a reply have fallen for each other by just WOMAN’S ERA,
from his grumpy uncle saying that online chat and sharing pictures E-3, Jhandewala Estate,
New Delhi-110 055.
I guessed it right; he in fact did not of each other. They said he was, Womansera.com
like the person who clicked the shot! in fact, a man of few words and it
Love
AT
50...
I have fallen in love again.
By Usha Wadhwa
L
ife has not been the same
since he came into my life. It is
now full of fun and laughter.
The world has suddenly become a
beautiful place to live in. Not only
that, I feel a lot younger.
Never wondered what love could
do to a person; even to a person on
the odd side of 50!
True, he is not my first love. But it
is after a long time that I have again
truly experienced love — pure and
divine. Songs come automatically to
my lips now and I feel elated.
I CANNOT THINK OF
BEING APART FROM
HIM EVEN FOR A
SINGLE DAY. LIFE
SEEMS SO EMPTY
WHEN HE IS NOT
AROUND.
HE LOVES ME TOO
BUT NOT TO THE
SAME EXTENT AS I
LOVE HIM. MAYBE,
THIS INABILITY IS
INHERENT IN THE
MALE SPECIES. THEY
ARE BORN THAT WAY.
He is noisy. There cannot be peace
even for a moment with him around
and though I have always loved my
quieter moments I now long for his
presence when he goes out.
He doesn’t believe in discipline.
All my efforts to make him take his
meals properly at the dining table
have been of no avail. He insists
I have lost interest in television, He doesn’t know much English on having them in front of the
reading, and all the other things but loves the latest Hindi hit songs. television.
that I enjoyed doing only a short As soon as he hears a fast song, “OK, let him have his way,” I say
while ago. I have known him for his limbs start moving. Nor do I to myself.
the past two years. Two years is feel embarrassed going out for a He is messy. The whole house is
a long time, I know, but I wonder walk with him, hand in hand, or in a mess with him around. But don’t
sometimes how I lived without him just standing outside watching the you think the house looks more lived
until now. I cannot think of being world go by, with his hand in mine. in this way?
apart from him even for a single He is no royalty. Not even You feel more at home when
day. Life seems so empty when he is someone from the aristocracy. everything is not spick and span.
not around. But he has a personal maid all for Anyway, I don’t particularly like that
He loves me too but not to the himself and still expects everyone hotel and love his messy ways.
same extent as I love him. Maybe, around him to wait upon him hand Sometimes, when I am taking a
this inability is inherent in the male and foot. And they do, believe me; short nap in the afternoon, in spite
species. They are born that way. they all do, most willingly! He is vain of my strict instructions that I am not
He adores his mother more than and stands admiring himself in front to be disturbed, he quietly tiptoes
he does me. I know that. Do I feel of the mirror. But so what? Even I into my bedroom. He stands near my
envious? Not at all! My love for him could keep looking at him the whole head and, placing his hand on it and
is selfless and undemanding. I am day without feeling bored! peeping straight into my closed eyes,
aware of the fact that I need him he lovingly calls me -
more than he does me. MY UNCONDITIONAL LOVE “Dadi...”
My neighbours think that I have He is selfish and must have All my resolves to take rest fly
suddenly gone crazy. Quiet and whatever he demands at once. He away through the window. I take my
sober till yesterday, I now sing never considers that others may 2-year-old grandson, my prince and
loudly and try to dance when I do need that article too. He wants my darling into my arms. I hug him
not know either of these arts. But everything to be served to him on a and kiss him.
he loves dancing and has got a silver platter. But never mind I am all The world is such a beautiful
flexible supple body. ready to do that. place to live in! We
Put Off Saying
Sayonar a t o L i f e
As long as you can by living life the Japanese way.
By Sujatha Rao
D
uring my childhood I got
introduced to Japan through
the popular Bollywood song
that began with the word “Sayonara”
which I came to know stood for
“Goodbye.” As I hummed the song
under my breath while going about
my daily business, I often wondered
about the country and its people.
After growing into my adulthood,
the lovely images I found of cherry
blossom flowers in full bloom across
Japan filled me with an intense desire
to visit the country. I am sure a lot
of travel enthusiasts like me have
visiting Japan during spring season
on their bucket lists.
Spring time in Japan is nothing
less than magical. This is the time
when cherry blossoms – called sakura
in Japanese – make a charming sight
with their fleeting presence across
various parts of the country.
White or pale pink or dark pink
or yellow, at times changing color
as the blooming period progresses,
they symbolize the delicate and
ephemeral nature of life.
When I got into my post-
retirement days, my interest naturally
got pickled with another interesting
fact about Japanese people – that
it is a nation known for its people
having a very long life expectancy.
In fact, Okinawa, a tiny, remote
Japanese island touts the special
distinction of having the highest
concentration of centenarians in the
world with 90% of them comprising
of women.
The primary credit for this
Ikigai
wonderful statistic goes to “IKIGAI” A JAPANESE CONCEPT MEANING “A REASON FOR BEING”
– a way of life practiced by most of
these Japanese people. Satisfaction, Delight and
but feeling of fullness, but
In a world that is hopefully
uselessness What you no wealth
emerging out of a long pandemic, as
we make our travel plans to visit this LOVE
beautiful country during the cherry
blossoms season, can we also resolve
to adapt ourselves to IKIGAI?
PASSION MISSION
What is IKIGAI?
IKIGAI word is derived from the
What the
Japanese words that roughly mean What you are
Ikigai
world
“happiness of living a full life.” It’s GOOD AT
formed by combining two symbols NEEDS
that stand for ‘Life’ and ‘With
meaning.’
All human beings are in pursuit of PROFESSION VOCATION
meaning in life. As Victor Frankle said
in his most populate book “Man’s
Search for Meaning” those who have
a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost What you Excitement and
any ‘how’. Comfortable, can be complacency,
but feeling of PAID FOR but sense of
The Why emptiness uncertainty
Simon Sinek, the author of the
popular book “Start with Why” said ALL HUMAN BEINGS livelihood, you can still practice
the question “why” is at the centre IKIGAI through defining and pursuing
of what we do in life. ARE IN PURSUIT OF life goals that are not necessarily
IKIGAI is the “Why” of life. What if MEANING IN LIFE. aimed at increasing your financial
you don’t yet know what your IKIGAI AS VICTOR FRANKLE status.
is? An example of this is Mr Suhas
SAID IN HIS MOST Yathiraj, the first IAS Officer to
Finding meaning even as we POPULATE BOOK participate and win a Paralympics
quarantine “MAN’S SEARCH FOR silver medal in Badminton. He
With the pandemic unleashing MEANING” THOSE managed to balance his demanding
work life with his passion for
terror across the globe, people
are periodically in some sort of WHO HAVE A ‘WHY’ TO Badminton and won the medal in one
partial or full-blown quarantine. For LIVE, CAN BEAR WITH of the toughest sporting spectacles
those of us who are yet to find the ALMOST ANY ‘HOW’. of the world by overcoming his
purpose in life, this is perhaps the disability.
best time for some introspection to As Hector Garcia, one of the
eke out what matters to each one writers of the most popular book
of us in life. “IKIGAI: the Japanese Secret to a
If you can manage to fit meaning, Long and Happy Life” said “You
fulfillment and balance in your daily don’t need huge ambition to be very
routine, whatever it maybe, you have happy, you just need a bunch of
found IKIGAI of your life. It is in a way friends to drink green tea and talk
what makes you jump out of your with. Get rid of the mess and at the
bed every day morning. core is your IKIGAI.”
IKIGAI is at the core of the four Some of the practicable
things (a) what you love (b) what the ingredients of IKIGAI are:
world needs (c) what you get paid
for and (d) what you are good at as Finding “Flow”
shown in the schematic below: Shubha loves to draw. As a single
Many people argue that even child, she started it as a hobby to kills
as you trudge away in jobs for your the hours. Now she hardly notices
In fact, Okinawa women think
‘moai’ (pronounced mo-eye is the
Japanese word for a life-long group
of supportive friends) is the main
reason behind their healthy long life.
As we are physically distancing
ourselves from our friends and
family, it becomes even more
important that we stay connected
with our ‘moai’ through phone, text
or any other virtual platform.
It is worth noting that “moai”
groups can be formed to support
varied interests such as social,
health, financial, spiritual, as per the
needs and inclinations of the people
involved therein.
Keep Moving
Shweta has learnt the lesson the
hard way. After sitting for hours in
the hours passing by when she is IT IS IMPERATIVE front of her laptop for more than 12
intensely focused on finishing her hours at a stretch, her back went for
drawing. THAT WE LEARN TO a toss demanding that she rest it for
Renowned psychologist Mihaly KEEP OURSELVES months by taking a long break from
Csikszentmihalyi coined the term FIT FURTHER AND her work – her very first one.
‘Flow’ to describe a state of intense Having limped back to normalcy
enjoyment and deep concentration FURTHER INTO OUR through painstaking efforts, she
which makes the person engaged in SUNSET YEARS. IKIGAI makes it a point to take a small stroll
it not realize the passing of time. The
chances of attaining such a ‘flow’ are
IS ONE OF THE TOOLS after every hour by setting reminders
on her wearable.
high when you take up activities you THAT MAKES US Life is all about movement or
love with some slightly beyond your ACHIEVE THAT. progression from childhood to
reach complexity focusing on the adulthood to old age. Time moves
immersion in the process rather than forward inside the perennial cycle of
the final outcome. repeated days and nights. The same
Such ‘Flow’ experiences lead to has to reflect in our lifestyles.
a life of happiness and fulfillment It’s only when we ‘die’ we are
thereby keeping you young at any absolutely still. So let’s get busy
age. Hence, it pays to prioritize these moving and stop plonking ourselves
activities over the hedonistic pursuits in front of various devices.
of entertainment, overeating etc.,
which people often pursue out of Practice “Hara Hachi Bu”
sheer boredom. Dr Pushpa has made it a practice
never to eat till her stomach is full.
Find Your “Moai” She also ensures to eat her meals in
Post retirement the small group small chunks of healthy items. She
of friends who worked together feels this is the secret behind her
in an MNC decided to move into energy and youthful looks.
community living that they had Dr. Pushpa is practicing Japanese
invested in when they were all still way of eating
working. This like-minded group of A typical meal in a restaurant in
people is enjoying their togetherness Japan is normally served in five plates
in their twilight years, to the great on a tray. Having five plates in front of
relief of most of their children who you makes it appear like you are going
are spread across various parts of to eat a lot, and you tend to eat less.
the globe in pursuit of their own Makoto Suzuki, a heart specialist
livelihoods and IKIGAI. in Okinawa, one of the blue zones
“HARA HACHI BU” IS
AN ANCIENT PRACTICE
WHICH ADVOCATES
THAT YOU EAT UNTIL
YOU ARE 80% FULL.
A TYPICAL MEAL IN A
RESTAURANT IN JAPAN
IS NORMALLY SERVED
IN FIVE PLATES ON A
TRAY.
where people live healthy beyond

their nineties without medication,
did several studies on the Okinawan
diet, beginning in the 1970s and
he highlighted that their diet Being productive as long as
comprised of a wide variety of food possible keeps you young. More
and eating smaller portions and often than not people slowly lose
fewer calories. their zeal after they retire and settle
into sedentary life styles which push
Stay young while growing old them into an old age prematurely. So
After retiring from an active let’s get going with those passions of
career, Prasad took up volunteering ours which we had kept at bay during
work by helping out senior citizens our busy working lives – traveling,
in an old age home. He finds this gardening, learning a new skill –
work not only gratifying but also anything that keeps us constructively
energizing. engaged.
Relevance of IKIGAI to Indians

India, with its highest number inner peace, unless that is what
of young population as of now happens to be your individual
would lead itself into a very big IKIGAI.
number of old age people in the Whether you feel stuck in your
not so distant future. When that job, marriage, life in general, or
happens, with the current nuclear you want to experience life more
family structure of one or two deeply, or you are a retired person,
children per family prevalent in the who wants to live a long and
country, the system will severely healthy life, practice of IKIGAI may
fall short to take care of the senior help you in achieving your goals
citizens. Hence, it is imperative while keeping you healthy.
that we learn to keep ourselves fit In the traumatic times we live in
further and further into our sunset our IKIGAI has the potential to be
years. IKIGAI is one of the tools that our ticket to sanity by steering our
makes us achieve that. focus away from the negativity all
India is known to be the world’s around us.
destination for spirituality. IKIGAI The famous quote from the
is about balancing spiritual with movie “Shawshank Redemption”
practical. So, it is not about giving goes, “Get busy living or get busy
up the worldly pleasures adorning dying.”
saffron robes, or roaming in the Let’s get busy living with the
wilderness hunting for that elusive help of our IKIGAI. We
grind them to the same consistency
as minced meat.
In 2 tbsp oil or ghee, fry finely
chopped onion till transparent. Add
4 cloves garlic, crushed, 1 inch piece
ginger, grated or crushed, 1-2 green
chillis chopped. Cook for a minute,
then add 1 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp
red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp coriander
powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp
I
garam masala and salt to taste.
will be very grateful if you tell To make sambhar, soak 100 gm Mix in 3 medium-size tomatoes,
me how to make sambhar powder toor daal in water overnight. Heat 3 peeled and chopped. Cook till soft.
at home. I do not know much about tbsp oil in a pan and fry 1 tsp mustard Add 1 cup of minced meat. Mix well,
South Indian dishes and would like to seeds (rye) and 1/2 tsp asafoet ida. cover and cook for 10 minutes over
know how to make this and also the Then add 5-6 curry leaves. low heat. Then add the soya bean
recipe for sambhar. Add 2 small brinjals, chopped or flakes. Put in a sprinkling of water if
I will give you a recipe for sambhar quartered, 8-10 small Madras onions, mixture appears dry. Cover and cook
masala which I have used often with peeled and left whole, and 1 tomato, over low heat till liquid is absorbed
good results. However, like all other chopped. Add in it ¹/₂ tbsp sambhar and meat is tender. Mix in or garnish
recipes, this, too, varies from place to masala, ¹/₂ tsp chilli powder and salt to with chopped coriander leaves and
place and person to person. taste. Cover and cook till vegetables serve. If de sired you may add 1/2 to
Roast together, or separately, over are almost tender. Meanwhile, put 3/4 cup of boiled peas to this to make
low heat, 1 cup of dry red chillis, 1 tbsp daal in water (4 times its quantity) in keema mutter.
coriander seeds, 1 tsp channa daal, the cooker. Add salt and 3 tsp turmeric ●
1 tsp toor daal, 1 tsp urad daal, 1/2 powder. How do you preserve nutrients
tsp fenugreek seeds, 4 cloves, and 1 Let it come to full cooking pressure when cooking broccoli?
inch piece cinnamon. Cool and grind. (one whistle), then reduce heat and While the best way to preserve
The tava or griddle you use may be cook for 10 minutes. Let pressure fall and enhance the nutrients in broccoli
smeared with a little oil. on its own. Open and mix into the is to steam it, there are many ways to
vegetables. Add about 1/2 cups of cook broccoli. An easy way to steam
water. Let it come to boil. Meanwhile, them: Fill a large glass bowl with
soak one walnut-sized lump of broccoli, add about a tablespoon of
tamarind in 1/2 cup of water. Remove water to the bowl, cover the bowl
pulp, strain out fibre and seeds and with a plate, and then microwave it
add to sambhar. on high for a few minutes.
● ●
Please give me a recipe to make What makes cakes turn brown?
soya mince out of Nutrela soya Baking soda is also a reason
beans. for cakes to turn brown. It is used
While you could well make the to help the cake rise by replacing
mince dish without using real minced the lengthy process that takes up
meat, it will not taste as good. So, leavening. When added to the batter,
ideally you should use a mixture the baking soda reacts with any acid
of soya granules and and produces carbon dioxide, which
minced meat. causes the batter to rise. The more
Take 1 cup of baking soda you add, the browner
soya granules your cake or cookies will be.
or flakes. Soak
in hot boiling, If you have any problem in cooking
salted water or kitchen, write to Woman’s Era. We
for 5-10 minutes shall try to help you sort it out.
(away from heat).
Address your queries to:
Drain out the water,
WOMAN’S ERA, E-3, Jhandewala
squeeze dry and rinse Estate, Rani Jhansi Marg,
out in cold water and New Delhi-110 055. Click womansera.com
squeeze dry again. If using to lodge your queries.
granules, you may need to
Maai: Mother to
Orphans
Tree she planted by her now offer & shades to all. By Kaushik Joshi
W
ith her steely Fondly called ‘Maai’ in Marathi, Wardha district in Maharashtra, then
determination, fortitude Sindhutai will continue to live on in in the Central Provinces and Berar of
and patience, she could the hearts of about 1200 orphans British India.
face seemingly insurmountable she cared for giving them food, Fathered by Abhimanyu Sathe,
challenges and change her dramatic shelter, education and above all Sindhu was called a ‘chindi’ (torn
struggles into what can be called fuel motherly love. piece of cloth) in the family as she
to spur her personal greatness for “I am there for all those who was a girl child. Her mother was
the societal good. have no one,” she used to say. against educating her but her father
That is how she viewed adversity. Growing up in childhood was sent her to school despite that.
She didn’t let it dishearten her. daunting for Sindhutai as it was She was good at studies.
Rather, adversity and roadblocks neglect, deprivation and poverty When her mother objected to her
shaped her character, clarified her all the way. Worse, she was an schooling, her father sent her to
priorities and defined her path. unwanted child in the family as she school under the pretext of grazing.
Sindhutai Sapkal, an icon was born a girl. Ironically, Sindhu Since her father couldn’t afford a
of motherly love to orphans in was born on 14th November 1948 — slate for her, she would get leaves
Maharashtra, passed away in Pune which was later declared Children’s of Bharadi trees to write on. Such
on January 4, this year, aged 73. Day — in Pimpri Meghe village of was the poverty.
Sadly, her schooling was cut Motherly love of Sindhutai.
short by abject poverty, family
responsibilities and an early
marriage when she was in the fourth
grade.
Sindhutai was married off when
she was barely 12, to Shrihari Sapkal,
twenty years her elder. Her husband
never respected her or cared for
her.
Reminiscing that day of marriage,
Sindhutai once said,
“I was told that there are only
two processions in a woman’s life.
Once when she gets married and the
other when she dies. Imagine my
state of mind when they took me in
a procession to my husband’s home
that day.”
When she was pregnant for the
fourth time, the landlord spread
Sindhutai came to know that 84
rumours of her infidelity. So, her SINDHUTAI HAD BY surrounding villages were to be
husband beat her up mercilessly and
abandoned her to fend for herself. NOW DECIDED TO evacuated for the tiger conservation
She was 9 months pregnant then PLAY MOTHER TO project. So, she took it upon
and gave birth to a daughter in a THESE ORPHANS. herself to do something for the
rehabilitation of the villagers.
cowshed.
She once told the tale of her
AND THE JOURNEY OF She met Chhedilal Gupta,
agony saying how she cut the BEGGING FOR THEM then the forest minister and got
umbilical cord with a sharp stone TOOK HER TO NUMBER an assurance from him that the
villagers would not be displaced
then. OF VILLAGES TO RAISE until alternate arrangements were
Sindhutai had nowhere to go.
So she went to her parental home FUNDS FOR FUNDING made for their relocation.
but her mother humiliated her and SHELTERS FOR THESE When the late Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi came to open the tiger
didn’t offer her shelter. CHILDREN. project, Sindhutai showed her the
Once when she was at the wit’s
end, she thought of committing them took her to number of villages pictures of an adivasi woman who
suicide. But the sight of orphans to raise funds for funding shelters had lost her eyes to a wild bear.
she saw while begging in trains and for these children. Sindhutai is quoted to have
streets changed all that was on her One such journey took her to told Indira Gandhi, “I told her
mind. She had to beg for herself a place called Chikhaldhara city that the forest department paid
and her daughter for the sake of the in Amravati district where she compensation if a cow or a hen was
stomach to fill. later founded her first NGO called killed by wild animal. So, why not for
That is how she met orphan Savitribai Phule Girls’ Hostel. She a human being?”
children and resolved to live and got the NGO registered since people And Indira Gandhi then ordered
care for them. She spent days who donated money asked for for compensation immediatelly.
together at the railway station, receipts.
cowsheds or Maai with her daughter Mamta Sindhutai first Raising Shelter Homes
cemeteries. Taking adopted Deepak. She Apart from working for the
some children initially found him on the marginalised people, Sindhutai
under her wings, she railway track. Soon, zeroed in on raising shelter homes
began to beg more for there were 16 such for the orphans and the destitute
them. abandoned children women. It was challenging but her
Sindhutai had by she adopted. Then communication skills stood her in
now decided to play it turned into her good stead in raising funds. She
mother to these mission for life. would share her own inspirational
orphans. And the While at life stories. And it moved people and
journey of begging for Chikhaldhara, they donated money.
Sindhutai sapkal recieved Padmashree award from own daughter, to Shrimant Dagdu
President Ramnath Kovind. Sheth Halwai in adoption.
She also raised a shelter called
Gopika Gai Rakshan Kendra to save
abandoned cows from being sent to
slaughter houses.
In recognition of her selfless
devotion to the cause of sheltering
the orphans, Sindhutai was given
the Padma Shri award in 2021 in the
social work category besides Nari
Shakti Puraskar from the President
of India in 2017, Mother Teresa
award for social justice and Iconic
Mother award in 2013, Ahilyabai
Holkar award in in 2010 by the
government of Maharashtra as also
the honorary doctorate by Dr D Y
Patil College of Engineering, Pune.
Orphan Children’s Mother

These are only few of the
numerous awards she received
of which she did not care to keep
count of. What mattered to her
was wiping the tears from the eyes
of the orphans and see smiles on
their faces and helping them fulfill
their dreams in life. Many of these
children she adopted are qualified
doctors, engineers and lawyers
After the speeches, she would
outspread the hem of her Sari and
SINDHUTAI WAS today, while some of them have
even established their own shelter
ask for alms to feed and educate her GIVEN THE PADMA homes for orphans.
adopted children. That is how she SHRI AWARD IN In 2010, filmmaker Anant
collected funds. And she wanted 2021, NARI SHAKTI Mahadevan made a biopic in Marathi
her story to spread and be shared entitled Mee Sindhutai Sapkal. The
widely so that others could be PURASKAR FROM film was also selected for a world
motivated to face struggles in life THE PRESIDENT OF premiere at the 54th London Film
and emerge stronger. INDIA IN 2017, MOTHER Festival.
Capturing her tale of struggle and When her husband turned 80,
survival, she once said,
TERESA AWARD FOR he came back to her. But Sindhutai
“I had no one with me, everyone SOCIAL JUSTICE AND did not harbour any grudge and
abandoned me. I knew the pain of ICONIC MOTHER greeted him to the shelter home.
being alone and unwanted. I didn’t AWARD IN 2013. And she would tell people that ‘He is
want anyone to go through the my eldest adopted child’. Sindhutai
same. And I feel immense pride of Maharashtra. She named one left a large family behind with 207
and pleasure to see some of my home after her daughter Mamta, sons-in-law and 36 daughtes-in-law,
children doing so well in their lives. called Mamta Sadan. Deepak, the who owe a debt of gratitude to
One of my children even made a first son she adopted refused to Sindhutai, their Mai or mother.
documentary on my life.” leave her and he runs one of the Death cannot snatch away
In her lifetime, Sindhutai raised homes. Sindhutai. She would live on in the
nine shelter homes for orphans and Whatever amount she received hearts of the orphans she adopted
destitute and abandoned women by way of awards, she used it to and many who knew her for the
where they are given food, shelter raise homes for orphans. irrepressible spirit she showed
and education. In order to make sure that she turning adversity on its head.
Her first shelter home was raised was not partial to her own daughter, A tale of grit, empathy and loads
in Chikhaldhara in Amravati district Sindhutai gave away Mamta, her of love for the hapless children. We
some broad-minded older relatives
whose opinion they trust, to help
them accept new ideas. Don’t worry.
In a few years’ time, they will stop
manipulating you and will treat
you like a friend, rather than a silly
wayward child!
M
●
y parents are dissuading
me from joining the
I
medical course after
am a very attractive girl The best approach you can have school. They feel that it will take
studying in college. My only is to drop the antagonism and try several years to finish and it is
drawback is my fat legs. I have never conciliatory tactics. Be loving and difficult to earn good money from
worn short skirts or shorts because affectionate so that they will not medical profession. It has always
of this problem. All the children in see you as a disobedient rebel but as been my goal to become a doctor.
our family suffer from this defect. We their beloved child. Slowly, tactfully, At the same time, I do not want to
have inherited this tendency from introduce them to your way of displease my parents. The cost of
our father. Please tell me whether it thinking. Get your friends home to my medical education will also
is possible to overcome a hereditary mingle with them. This will show them be a big burden on them. Should
factor with exercise or diet. that your views are normal. I give up my dream? I will feel very
If your legs are fat, you can definitely Love and cooperation can really disappointed.
make them slimmer with exercises like defuse many harsh situations. You Often, the harsh practicalities of
cycling or swimming. You can even use should not forget that they are only life force us to make compromises.
a stationary bike or a treadmill for your driven by their concern for you. Get It is clear from your letter that
workouts. Although we inherit several it will be difficult for your parents
family traits, we can rectify them with to finance your medical education.
concentrated effort. You might have It could even affect family welfare
inherited the tendency to become fat and jeopardise the education of
over your thighs and shins, but that does your siblings. It is best you make
not mean you have to resign yourself some sacrifices.
to the situation. After you have Why don’t you consider shorter
slimmed, you will have to, of course, courses like Dentistry, Physiotherapy,
take pains to see that you maintain Immunology, Microbiology, and
your figure. Unlike other people, you other para-medical subjects? These
will be prone to become fat very easily are less costly, involve less time
on these areas. and have very good prospects too.
M
● You should also explore the possibility
y parents and i just do not of working your way through your
see eye to eye on any matter! studies by taking up some part-time
I am a 16-year-old girl and job if you have the time or energy
have my own views and opinions, but for it.
they want me to obey them in every
way. I hate being at home nowadays
This column is especially for
and am seriously thinking of running teenagers. Adolescence can, we know,
away from all the tension which my be a trying and confusing time. There
rigid-minded parents are creating. are so many questions which seem
Please suggest some way out. to evade solutions. A wrong decision,
You have fallen victim to the age- or an indiscreet move, can spell
old phenomenon of the generation disaster and ruin a life. Share your
gap. Fortunately, many elders these problem, worry or doubt with us and
days are aware of the changing WE will help you find a way out — to a
social trends and are tolerant of their happier, healthier and more successful
children’s different views. adult life.
Sometimes, some parents are Send your problems to:
unable to give up their preconceived Woman’s Era E-3, Jhandewala Estate,
ideas and beliefs and force these on New Delhi-110 055, Womansera.com
the younger generation.
Shoorrty
BEARING A
St
BURDEN
Discovering lost love. By A. S. Fancis
M
h on returning journey of life. She felt so lunch while discussing their Since Kavish and Ishika
home from alive and wanted in their day. It so transpired that were not so good in
school. presence. Mentally she their school was to be a sports, they would be
“Mom, listen!” chipped said a quick thank you. She venue for a district sports having a long break next
in his 14-year-old twin was really content with meet and those children week.
Ishika. her chartered accountant not participating in the “Mom, please call up
Indira, smiled to herself husband, Kamal, who was a sports activities would be dad and tell him to take
in the kitchen. Her kids caring provider, her loving getting a four day holiday. leave during that time
were always excited to son and daughter and good and we can all go on a
share the happenings of health of her family. Life Since last year’s vacation vacation.”
the day with her on their was good. was at Goa, as per the “Please, Mom, please!”
return from school. It She sat down with her choice of Kavish, this “Let’s wait for your
warmed her heart to be children in the dining area year it had to be Ishika’s dad to come back home
part of their roller-coaster and served them their choice. Her choice was a and we’ll speak to him
wild life sanctuary.
together.” Indira knew that “Kavu! Be brave. became a very protective was paralysed with fear
Kamal would be unable Nothing will happen to mom to Ishika. She was and could not bring
to say no, especially when you.” Petrified, Ishika held now smothering her herself to answer the
Ishika would build a web of on to her brother, not daughter with too much of mobile. She was sure,
coaxing words. knowing what to do but possessiveness. something terrible had
Sure enough, in the trying to give him courage. Ishika had lost her twin, happened to her daughter.
evening, Kamal was She soon found her voice her friend, her confidant, In all these years she had
assaulted with imploring and repeatedly screamed at her playmate. It was as if a never received a call from
eyes, pleading words the top of her voice, “HELP, part of her had gone. Ishika the school. Mustering up
and hopeful faces of his HELP”. and Kavish had always all the reserves of courage
children. There was no Their parents and been the best of friends and that she had, she could
option for him but to agree. watchman were as it is on had never felt the need of just croak a whispered
Since last year’s vacation the lookout for the children making other close friends. “Hello”.
was at Goa, as per the since it was late. They heard
choice of Kavish, this year
it had to be Ishika’s choice.
Her choice was a wild life
the desperate cries of help
and came running. They
did whatever possible to
Indira’s grief was no
less. Why had she O n the other end, a
pleasant, cultured
voice enquired, “Am
sanctuary. The next couple save Kavish but it was to no not stopped her twins I speaking to Ishika’s
of days passed off quickly avail. In the lap of nature before they went for mother?” The pleasant
in finalising plans, making Kavish breathed his last a walk on that fateful voice gave her the
reservations and carrying with his parents and twin confidence to answer in the
out preparations. Excitedly sister close to him. day? Had she done affirmative.
they set off for their Time has a way of that, Kavish would be “Mam, our counseleor
holiday. passing, whether you like spreading his sunshine conducted a test on all
it or not. Days turned into the students of Class 10
G ood old-fashioned months and it was now six and laughter in their today, to identify their
accommodation, light months after the tragedy. house as usual. Indira vocational interests. We
showers, spicy pakodas Things were so different now became a very would like to talk to you
and tea added charm in this household now. about the findings of Ishika.
to their stay. They were Joy, cheer, laughter were protective mom There’s nothing to worry,
able to sight tigers, wild all a thing of the past. to Ishika. She was but I would like her father
buffaloes, blackbucks and Each family member was now smothering her and you to come and
hordes of colourful birds. It besieged with guilt and discuss some things with
was a rejuvenating family sorrow. Kamal as head of daughter with too much us. Also, maam we would
time for them all. On the the household considered of possessiveness. appreciate if Ishika’s not
eve of departure, Kavish himself a failure. He had told about this.” Before
and Ishika decided to go been unable to protect the They had always had each terminating the call a
for a walk to enjoy the life of his beloved son. He other for company. Now, mutually convenient time
beautiful flowers growing repeatedly kept going over Ishika felt herself alone to was agreed upon.
profusely in that area. The the incident and wondering face the world. She felt Apprehensively, Kamal
flower-scented air, chirping what he could have done that she was to blame for and Indira reached the
birds and animated differently, so that his son her brother’s death. Had school. The coordinator and
conversations made them would be alive today. His she not suggested the the counseleor met them
lose track of time. It was home reminded him too wild life sanctuary as a and made them feel at
dusk when they realised much of what he had lost. holiday destination, the ease in the meeting room.
that they should be To drown his sorrow he mishap would never have “Sir, after conducting our
turning back. In order to immersed himself in his happened. Seeing Kavu tests, we realised that your
avoid scoldings from their work. Socially he became die in front of her eyes, daughter is exceptionally
parents for being out so morose and withdrawn. killed something in her good in verbal skills and
late they started walking Indira’s grief was no forever. Additionally, the history. We counselled her
briskly and taking short less. Why had she not hormonal change of teen to take these subjects in
cuts. In the dark they could stopped her twins before years, a possessive mom, a Class 11th and discussed
not very clearly see their they went for a walk on withdrawn father who was the career aspects with
path. Kavish stepped on a that fateful day? Had she hardly at home she was at her. However, she was
snake hole and was bitten done that, Kavish would breaking point. insistent that she has to
by a snake. be spreading his sunshine Indira’s mobile rang. take maths, even though
“Help me, Ishu! I’ve been and laughter in their It was the Ishika’s school she does not have much
bitten by a snake.” house as usual. Indira now coordinator calling! She of an aptitude for it. As we
chatted with her we got adequately reached out Good old-fashioned “Talk to her about
to know that she wants to their daughter. Gently Kavish, reassure her that
to fill the void created by the counseleor made them accommodation, light the death is not her fault,
Kavish’s death. She feels aware of Post Traumatic showers, spicy pakodas go on outings like you did
that she has to become a Stress Disorder (PTSD). It and tea added charm before, converse about
chartered accountant, in could affect anyone who trivial things and slowly
order to help you out. She has endured any kind of to their stay. They were the bridge of confidence
knows that you are so busy harrowing experience. In able to sight tigers, wild and support between
in office and hence unable some it leads to eating buffaloes, blackbucks her and you both will be
to spend time at home. Had disorders, others might rebuilt.”
Kavish been alive he could become socially and and hordes of colourful Kamal and Indira
have become a CA because emotionally withdrawn, birds. It was a understood their folly. As
he wanted to follow in some wallow in grief, yet rejuvenating family time parents, they should have
his dad’s footsteps. Now others might take up risky been more perceptive to
that he is no longer there, behaviour (because they for them all. On the eve the emotional needs of
Ishika feels that she has to feel guilty about being of departure, Kavish their daughter. They had
share your office burden. alive). The ways of coping in and Ishika decided to already lost one child and
If she takes subjects of each individual is different could not lose the other
her choice, she thinks that and in Ishika’s case, it go for a walk to enjoy one to the burden of
she’ll be of no help to you.” meant doing things which the beautiful flowers expectations. With
Kamal and Indira were her twin would have done growing profusely in renewed determination
stunned to know about the so that she can be your son they went back home to
whirlpool of thoughts that as well as daughter. that area. The flower- carry on their parental
was going on in Ishika’s “How do we change scented air, chirping responsibility of bringing
mind. They had been back our daughter to the birds and animated understanding, joy and
wallowing in their own same cheerful girl she once cheer in the life of their
grief and guilt and had not was?” conversations. beloved daughter. We
somewhere so that we could spend

some time away from the rest of the
family members.
We were both excited. We went
to the riverside in the evening. We
sat down at a secluded place and
were so engrossed in ourselves that
any onlooker would have guessed
that we were newly-weds.
After a little while, my husband
A Jocular Retort! note, had gone for some work, looked up at the sky and he saw a
We keep an open note-pad on leaving behind a note for me. So, golden moon behind the branches
our door for visitors to write down I rummaged through my purse for of a tree. We both appreciated the
their messages, in case they do not the door keys. Absently, I read the beauty of the moon for a while.
find us at home. When I go out i note. Finally, when we went to the car
leave a note behind for my husband I could not hold back my laugh parked close by to go home, my
so that he doesn’t worry when he ter. He had written that he had read husband said, “Darling, the moon
does not find me in the house. several of my notes but never had has disappeared.”
One evening, I went to the the opportunity to write one to me. I looked up at the sky and found
market before my husband’s return, So, he was writing that he was inside that there was no moon. I was
leaving a note on the note-pad. the house! not mistaken because the sky was
When I returned home carrying –Rebecca Pinto absolutely clear and cloudless.
several bags, I found that the top Suddenly I realised that what we
most sheet of the note-pad had been An Optical Illusion had been looking at all along was
removed and a new sheet with my We had been married for a only a big halogen lamp on the
husband’s small neat handwriting on fort night and had just come road side which was partly visible
it, had taken its place. back from our honeymoon. The as a tree stood before it. We had
I assumed that he had come honeymoon mood was still there. mistaken it for the moon.
home and, after reading my My hubby suggested that we go out –S.P.K.
Labour Pain Or Covid Pain?
It made me stronger. By Pavithra Ramesh
A
s a tax analyst, calculations Fear – I realised what exactly that about the situation. She told us that
are my forte. But in real life, word meant at that moment. My I could get admitted but I had to do
my calculations proved me parents had tears. We felt helpless it all alone. There would be no single
wrong at one crucial juncture. While about the situation and were running attender allowed into the Covid
I had been working in the corporate short of time. ward.
set up, life brought me utmost joy Then, a different kind of courage Just when our hopes were raised,
with the news of my pregnancy. took over me, the one that said I my doctor informed us that she
Worried about the pandemic, I could do this. would not be able to treat me due to
remained cautious right from the I told my husband that we should her personal health issues.
word ‘GO’. There was no stepping go to the hospital right away and It felt like a dead-end. We did not
out without a double mask. Sanitiser shall figure out what to do next. I know where to go.
was a permanent companion. assured my parents not to worry and Arrangements were made for
I was due on 10th of January I would return home with the baby. another gynecologist from the same
2022 and was asked to be admitted When we reached the hospital, hospital who agreed to treat me.
the previous day to induce pain for we called our doctor, informed her I told my husband we were going
labour. My family was thrilled about to get over the horrid phase and
the arrival of the little one. This is just a entered the Covid ward.
The day prior to admission, my reminder to all my A couple of hours later, I was
husband and I visited the hospital fellow women that induced with pain. At around 7:30 am
and looked at our private labour my husband called me. He had slept
room. We were excited, preparing the virus cannot in the car at the parking lot outside
ourselves to the most beautiful take over us if we the hospital just to be around me.
phase of our lives together. have the willpower. I was in severe pain and could not
We had also given the Covid test After all, mothers speak. At 7:48 am, came the good
as per requirements of the private news I was praying for.
hospital that we were consulting. are one of the I gave birth to a baby boy, natural
The protocol allowed only one strongest kinds. birth. Since I was a covid patient, my
attender with the patient and since child was kept under observation in
there was a rise in cases due to which NICU for two days and I could not
my husband had to bring along a see him.
negative report too. The news that he had also tested
On the day of admission, we had positive scared me further. By the
everything ready – bags packed end of three days, the ordeal ended. I
with little clothes for our baby and returned home with my baby as I had
happiness on the wait. We were yet promised to my parents.
to receive the Covid report. I was The pandemic shook me during
asked to be admitted at 6 pm. At the most crucial time of my life,
around 4:30 pm, we called the but I learnt it had only made me
hospital and got the result. stronger. Just around the same
To our utter shock, I tested time, another friend of mine
positive while my husband in Bangalore faced the same
tested negative. We were situation and fortunately she
shaken, literally clueless on also came out triumphant
what we would do next. after the Covid challenge.
I was trembling, worried about This is just a reminder to
how I would deliver the baby. all my fellow women that the
Would the treatment be different virus cannot take over us if
for covid patients? What if I got we have the willpower. After
pain but doctors refused to treat all, mothers are one of the
me? strongest kinds. We
7
?
The
Year Itch:
Is Boredom In
Marriage The
Cause
Staying together in a marriage is
getting more challenging with passage of time.
By Anita Choudhary
T
he generation we live in has Whereas; at the same time, men
changed in terms of love and are no longer rushing after marriage
marriage completely. Now, as soon as they are getting jobs. They
be it a woman or a man, everyone wait for the right time to come when
is independent, they have self they have actually their mind settled
respect in themselves. So, nobody for their marriage.
is actually relying on anyone, the So, people are no more in hurry
term pati parmeshwar is vanishing to get settle in life and have kids.
quietly and quickly after years of They take time to choose their
patriarchy. partners. Not only that; the people
Of course, this is the case of have multiple relationships, before
mostly urban area, only in the they get married. They try to choose
educated family who has a good, wisely. Things don’t go the way they
modern upbringing, the ones in want it go, be it compatibility, ego
upper middle class. This idea has clashes, extra marital affairs and
come from there, where women sometimes boredom causes the
are not going to suffer anymore for failure of marriage.
any man in their life and also have So, why this is happening? Have
the independence to choose the you ever felt that your partner
man whom she is comfortable with, doesn’t love or understand you
whom she wants to live with all anymore? Have the rose-tinted
her life. glasses you wore in the early days of
Not only that; women fight matrimony clouded over? You need
against abusive or any kind of not complain about them. Could it
abnormal behaviour as well, and they be that your feelings towards your
even take divorce because of the partner have undergone a seachange
compatibility issues. too?
2
100 Woman’s Era ● June
May 2022
People are bored from their lives. The frustration inside creates “If you cannot direct the wind,
Sometimes, they think their partners boredom around a person. People learn to adjust your own sails,”
are the main reason for it. They get selfishly stop thinking about others advises psychotherapist Mrs Ratan
irritated from their monotonous life, or their partner; they want to live Kaul to avert any mid-life blues.
they do not want anything same in their life in their own terms. But, After marriage, or being in a
their life. The tension causing in the while some can adjust with their serious relationship, the people tend
office, the family problems, people boredom; some fail and still some to get more possessive towards
become vulnerable and frustrated don’t bother about it. They don’t get their partners. This possessiveness
very easily. what they should actually do. sometimes turns into suspicion.
They want an escape from this For example, some partners
situation as soon as possible. They People are bored after tiresome day say – “What is
stay away from house for long time; the matter with you?” or “I have
they don’t give time to their family or
from their life. had enough of you, your children,
don’t want to spend time with them. Sometimes,
They want to go out and try doing they think their
something new, spend time with
themselves.
partners are
the main reason
for it. They get
irritated from
their monotonous
life, they do not
want anything
same in their life.
The tension causing
in the office, the
family problems,
people become
vulnerable and
frustrated very
easily.
your home.... you are only good domestic peace When asked by his colleague why
at complaining.” Or “This is a did not go home after office hours
madhouse! Does anybody have two
and harmony as the others did, Ghosh said, “In the
Invariably, the husband, like the
minutes for me? Should I stay or early years of our marriage, my wife
wife, is looking for domestic peace
leave the house? I am sick and tired was loving and caring but had a kid
and harmony. But when he sees the
of you all!” two years ago.
careless attitude of his wife, he tends
Such comments are heard when Now, I am totally neglected. I
to withdraw into his shell. Small
one feels that their spouses have yearn for a hot cup of tea with some
incidents like the one faced by Ghosh
gone ‘stale.’ Such a situation is snacks after a day’s hard work in
are reminders that a husband should
invariably faced after 7 to 8 years the office and all that I get is a string
not be treated as a doormat by the
of marriage, when one feels their of complaints. Baby did not burp
wife.
partner have turned monotonous, today... he did not let her sleep in
predictable, child-centered and home There are times the afternoon... he did not have his
bound. cereal properly... the list goes on
They start losing interest in when the wife has and on…
their partner and start to look for to be supportive of I have started staying back in
excitement and romance outside the the mood swings office. At least, here, my secretary
four walls of their homes. is at beck and call and I can call
Sometimes, boredom can lead to
her husband is for endless cups of tea without
great stress and marital discord and going through any hesitation and she offers me a
can be the main factor for broken rather than being sympathetic ear too.”
marriage.
In order to keep your marriage
confrontational. There are times when the
wife has to be supportive of the
was firm and intact as a rock and to Wives must give mood swings her husband is
keep your partner from going astray, the pride of place going through rather than being
you must recognise the warning to their husbands confrontational. Wives must give
signal and insecurities and work them the pride of place to their husbands
out before your feelings and your
and make them feel and make them feel wanted. If
marriage are irreparably scarred. wanted. If the wife the wife is too busy in her endless
Widening marital rifts can be is too busy in her pursuits, be they in the house
bridged by affection, caring and endless pursuits, or outside, children too have no
sharing and sensitivity to each attachment to their father.
other’s needs. Otherwise these rifts be they in the In such a scenario, husband
can become deep chasms, from house or outside, starts looking for alternatives – it
where there is no looking back. children too have could be in the form of female office
Corrective measures have to be colleagues, friends who like partying
taken immediately; otherwise you no attachment to and drinking at other people’s
will repent at leisure. their father. expense or anyone who can give him
full attention.
But the compatibility issues
mostly arise from a man’s side, but it
can also be vice-versa.
For intance, when the couple is
working, they don’t have time for
each other or spend some leisure
time together. Because of their
workaholic nature, they can’t even
move out for vacation. Several issues
arise between them; it’s all because
they are losing interest from their
partners.
They lose balance in their life;
they forget many things or habits
of their partner, which again causes
misunderstanding and this in turn
leads to unhappy marriage. Then,
they look outside of the marriage or
leave alone.
Another cause of failed marriage for an hour in the mornings for a Vamika’s resolve to shape up made
can be mid-life crisis, when spouse workout. Everything was fine till her more confident as well as slim
loses interest in their partner the day, Vamika noticed that Gaurav and trim. Instead of being suspicious
because of their looks. Many had started becoming moody and and jealous at home, she turned her
‘platonic’ relationships soon get absent-minded after his workouts adversary into her friend. Now, the
converted into sexual intimacy and and be very upset and crabby the three of them not only share a good
after that there is no turning back. day he had to miss his daily dose of rapport but also a healthy friendship.
exercise. Firstly, accepting yourself and getting
relation and One day, after dropping the kids a partner who accepts the way you
glamour at the bus-stop for school, Vamika are, irrespective of any flaws in your
There are numerous cases of decided to pick up her husband from life. It is what makes a relationship
other occupying a predominant the gym. What she saw there gave stronger and mature.
place in a married man’s life in the her a twinge of jealousy. Gaurav Avoid jealousy and suspicion.
film world. Such a situation was was engaged in conversation with Find out what has gone wrong in
averted by Vamika. Her case is worth an attractive girl who has an hour- your married life and try to set it
emulating by other wives who face glass figure. The girl was clad in right. Temper tantrum should not be
similar situations. black leotards and both seemed resorted to; instead merely admitting
She was originally a charming to be very comfortable in each your mistakes to each other can
match to Gaurav, who was a other’s company. Vamika controlled dispel hostility.
6-footer. He was tall, dark, and herself and took a step forward and Be honest with your partner.
handsome and terribly ‘figure- introduced herself. She learnt that Tell him or her your true feelings.
conscious.’ After 7 years of marriage the girl was Priya who was working Mutual tension can be eased and
and two kids, Vamika could not in a multinational firm and had joined peace and harmony can be restored.
retain her youthful looks, as she the gym recently. Vamika told Priya A bit of thoughtfulness and some
had stopped taking care of her that she herself was thinking of loving gestures can go a long way in
physical self. Gaurav was a regular joining the gym, as she needed to bringing you and your mate closer
at the gym where he would go shed some weight. to each other. We
The flat was very close to the After a while when I looked
railway station. The children would down from the balcony, he
bid their parents goodbye at home was nowhere to be seen I was
and would often stand in the frightened like hell When I
balcony and watch their train scanned the railway track. I
pass by. noticed that signals were down for
That train used to run between the Jabalpur Nizamuddin Qutab
Katni Mawwara station and the Express and soon the local trains
new Katni junction yard. I would would arrive
confine the kids to the house. the I ran downstairs with the
kids were naughty and ran around. younger child in my arms and
so the only time I took them handed him over to the lady on
out was when my sister and my the ground floor and quickly
brother-in-law were supposed to rushed towards the railway
arrive from duty station.
A CLOSE SAVE One day the younger one was As the local train reached
In search of a job, I moved from not feeling well and I was scared there, one passenger noticed
my home to my sister’s house. She of what happened to her all of the child on the railway track.
is living in the city with her husband a sudden. the elder one wanted He ran as fast as he could and
and children. to go downstairs to play. When I picked him up and then the train
When I had newly arrived at my forbade him to do so, he went to passed. It was a narrow escape
sister’s place, I used to lock myself the balcony and started peeping out I quickly went up to that person
in the house because I was shy and and calling his friends. So I took him and grabbed the child from him,
not fluent in Hindi. As I had still not downstairs and allowed him to join thanking him profusely
found a job, I offered to babysit my his friends but also told him not to I just can’t imagine what would
sister’s kids aged three and one. as go anywhere and only play here and have happened, had he not been
both my sister and brother-in-law then I return to the flat to take care here I will always remain grateful
used to go to work. of the younger kid. to him – Suvarna.
Shoorrty
St
Th e SHED
The wires goings on around it. By Padmaja Menon
H
She said, “I saw Five years ago whenever she went into Now
e entered her town. She also suspected Supriya stretched as
a lady there.” He bedroom. She was that they knew that her she woke up. It was a chilly
laughed and said she pretending to sleep mum had been murdered morning and the scene
was imagining things but experience told her it by him. But somehow none outside was exhilarating.
made no difference. He dared to confront him, She watched from her
as in his four years would begin his business so neither did she ask for window as the clouds
of running the hotel of caressing her breasts help. She grit her teeth billowed forth. The sun
he had not seen and smothering her with and waited till he finished rose as she watched and
sloppy kisses which he raping her and went away brought the countryside
anybody. Supriya actually believed she liked satisfied…whistling a tune. alive. Himachal was indeed
had a bath and held and looked forward to! blessed by nature. Her eyes
her Tarot cards to Then he would ….she hated Until she became fell on a shed, a garden
the lamp and it, hated it. She also knew pregnant shed below her window ,
that the people in the town When she told him he a little to the left. It was a
prayed. knew about it from their was silent for some days sturdy building and had an
meaningful looks at her but his act continued… asbestos roof and a rickety
he wouldn’t let her alone, door which had a large
it was he wanted to enjoy lock on it. Wonder what
her when he could and it was so precious inside she
Himachal was indeed scared her that he must be thought and then it was
blessed by nature. Her eyes planning something ….like like someone cracked her
fell on a shed, a garden getting rid of her..!Just like skull open! She screamed
shed below her window he had got rid of her mum. and Anil jumped up from
the bed. “Oh dear, she has knew something was amiss. being an important man. saw him and she saw the
gone into a trance,” he Next she got The High “What happened to the apparition behind him. She
murmured as he hugged Priestess which said that baby?”asked Supriya and he clamped her mouth shut to
her tight. some secret was going to gasped, “How did you know stop herself from gasping.
When she surfaced she be revealed. The third card that?” She did not know but The apparition had blood
was shaking like an aspen was the Hanged Man which yes she had felt nauseous streaming from her head,
leaf in the wind. She felt meant that something was suddenly somewhat like an open brutal wound and
the top of her head gingerly topsy turvy. She sighed morning sickness. she was pointing to Solanki’s
and was surprised that it and went down to read her That night a rattling scarf. After speaking to
was as usual but why had host’s cards. noise woke her. It was Anil, Solanki left, it seemed
she felt as though it had The first card she someone banging on the he did not want the shed
spilt? Anil wasn’t surprised, opened for him was the shed door. She got up opened but couldn’t give
he had got used to his wife four of swords. Someone with a start and shook any reason why not.
the Tarot card reader and stealthily running away Anil awake. “That noise,
medium.
They freshened up and
went down for breakfast
after an act of thievery or
murder? She looked at him
and he did not seem to be
someone is in the shed
and wants to come out”,
she said. The banging got
T he shed was opened
and it was like a
normal shed with tools
and some sightseeing. By a killer but then who or louder and on looking out and cobwebs. Stuck on
the time they returned it what? When she finished she saw the silhouette the cobweb was a scarf
was dark. The shadows his reading she was still not again, against the window. and below the scarf was a
played on the roof and sure about anything. But to her surprise no one mound. Almost as though
the lawn. Before going up else could see or hear what following orders from
they just sat in the lawn
and gazed at the sky. Later
Anil went in to change and
A nil was busy with his
job so she went into
the nearby town. Sipping
she could!
There was talk of

someone Supriya pointed
to the mound and ordered
it to be dug up. She did
Supriya sat on lazily. Her the Himalayan tea from a him keeping his not know how she had the
eyes fell on the shed. As quaint bookshop she went courage or why the people
she was about to look away into her jasoosi mode.
stepdaughter, her name obeyed. Very soon a body
she felt a movement and The garrulous shop keeper was Vibha, she used to was dug up. (It had on
someone was silhouetted explained that Solanki come to town to buy clothes that belonged to
against the window. Saar was the boss in the the stepdaughter as they
groceries but hardly
Supriya felt sad and village and he was quite found out later) and the
desperate and suddenly got the person who cracked spoke to anyone. Why skull was almost cracked
up to go in. She couldn’t the whip thereabouts. He didn’t anyone help her? in two. The apparition
understand this cloud of did not have any heir or hovered around till the
sorrow that engulfed her. relatives as his wife was Being a tourist she body was exhumed and
At dinner she asked dead and a stepdaughter could not order anyone to sent for post-mortem. The
their host if anyone lived had disappeared a few open the shed but the next scarf was found to belong
in the shed. He gave her years ago. Supriya’s skull few days were awful. Her to Solanki. A case was
a surprised look and said, spilt again and she held her head ached continuously slapped against him .
“No madam, that is an head till it subsided. The and she was woken up by Two weeks later Supriya
abandoned shed, have shopkeeper was concerned an apparition whose head had to appear in court and
never opened it since I have and kept hovering around bled. Knowing his wife, Anil as Solanki was sentenced
been here.” her. When she could speak applied for a few more days’ to hang, she saw the
She said, “I saw a lady she asked what he meant leave and also contacted his apparition again and this
there.” He laughed and said by disappearing? He looked inspector friend who in turn time the sorrow had lifted.
she was imagining things as all around, pulled up a chair called the inspector of that Supriya saw the poor girl
in his four years of running close to her and whispered, town who ordered the shed lured into the shed and
the hotel he had not seen “ There was talk of him to be opened. murdered brutally. That
anybody. “Ma’am, please keeping his stepdaughter, Supriya took out a card was how the stepfather
read my cards tomorrow.” her name was Vibha, she and the tower loomed had taken care of her when
It was agreed and early used to come to town to large. She knew there he knew she was pregnant
morning Supriya had a bath buy groceries but hardly would be obstacles. And and would soon be obvious
and held her Tarot cards spoke to anyone.” it came in the form of to all. As she watched she
to the lamp and prayed. “Why didn’t anyone Solanki. He wanted to see could feel the apparition
She drew the cards in a help her?” asked Supriya. the people who wanted fading. She raised her hand
general layout. The tower He did not have any the shed opened. Supriya to Vibha. She had laid her
card made her wary and she answer except for Solanki was nonplussed when she soul to rest. We
child differs in his developmental and
behavioural pattern. Do not worry as
long as it is in the normal range. If you
are getting paranoid about his ‘speech
defects’, you can consult a speech
therapist to dispel your fears.
I
●
am a 37 year old woman. I have
19 year old daughter. Recently, my
M
daughter has started developing
y 8 year old daughter has a group activity at the creche and he grey hair. Just one or two hair started
got a dark brown pigmented enjoys doing so with his peers, or else greying in the beginning. Now they
area with hair on it. It is you are being misled. seem to have spread rapidly. As my
present since birth on her neck just Also, not eating at home may be husband gets transferred often, people
under her jaw. What early and effective a way of showing his resentment at say that it is due to frequent change of
remedy would you suggest? leaving him alone the whole day. On water. She is otherwise quite healthy
This is a birthmark. There are the other hand, you may be worrying and seems to have no other physical
certain other characteristics of the excessively and unnecessarily. In spite disorder.
mark that have to be studied by of his lack of appetite, he is growing I started developing grey hair at
direct visualisation by a doctor. What well. the age of 30. Could it be hereditary?
is its size? Are the edges raised? Is it His height is normal and 14 kg If so, why at the early age of 9? Please
growing with age? weight is not that bad for a 3 year suggest some remedy.
Other factors like the length of old who is chronically under-fed. Ans. Your mom is right. In all The
the hair have to be looked into. If it Why don’t you maintain a chart in premature greying of hair is usually
looks unseemly, the only treatment is which a weight record is maintained hereditary. It could also be due to
surgical removal by a plastic surgeon. on a weekly or fortnightly basis? If leucoderma of the scalp. The hair
This should be done only after the child his height is increasing in spite of his overlying the leucodermic patch turns
reaches maturity as the operation scar seemingly poor food intake, you have white. There is not much one can offer
also grows with age. So just consult no cause for worry. in the form of treatment in either case.
a plastic surgeon and wait till your Another thing is to stop giving him You should take her to a dermatologist
daughter grows up. snacks, chocolates and ice-cream in (skin specialist) who will examine her
I
● between meals. This will make him thoroughly, arrive at a diagnosis and
am a working woman with a 3 year sufficiently hungry at mealtimes to eat prescribe a cure, if any.
I
old son. He doesn’t like milk or any a proper and balanced meal. ●
M
other food. He never demands food ● am a 33 year old married woman.
even if he is left hungry the whole day. y son is 2 years old. He is I have a 9 year old daughter. She
I leave him in a creche during my office unable to pronounce the Hindi was born through normal delivery.
hours. There he takes full lunch (dal, 2 alphabet clearly. He lisps and I breast-fed her for nearly one year.
rotis, rice, sabzi). During evening hours mispronounces some of the letters. His Now, I want to adopt a newborn child
he takes a full glass of milk. When he female cousin speaks clearly. I make and I would like to breast-feed it. Is
returns back home at 6 pm, he doesn’t him read and give him chilli but there this possible in any way? Are there
take anything. is no improvement. Please advise me any medicines or any traditional ways
We then force him to take a glass whom to consult. of increasing the milk output in a
of milk before he sleeps. On Sundays/ He is just 2 years old and is entitled mother’s breast, which will help me?
holidays he remains hungry the whole to a few mistakes in his pronunciation Please advise..
day. Owing to this, I can’t leave the and speech. Do not be after him and There are ways of letting down
place and go for any outing. Otherwise, create complexes at such an early age. milk, like injections etc. But these are
he is intelligent and very active. His Just let him be. Making an issue out of neither advisable nor effective in a non
height is normal and weight is 14 kg. it won’t solve your problem. In fact, it lactating woman.
He likes fruits and dry fruits. is not a problem at all in the first place. Adopt a child by all means but after
I try everything so that he takes There is no need to teach him the a gap of 9 years of giving birht to a
interest in his meals. I serve him Hindi alphabet at this age! As for child; do not take any strong medicine
separately during dinner. But he putting chilli powder in his mouth for letting down your own milk. There
doesn’t eat. He is anaemic and so I to make him speak correctly, it is are excellent formula feeds available
give him iron tonic. positively cruel. in the market that can take care of
It is difficult to understand why your Do not compare him unfavourably the needs of a newborn infant. Try
child eats a full meal at the creche and with his cousin. Girls are usually these instead of resorting to drastic
not at home. Perhaps eating lunch is smarter than boys. Moreover, every measures.
Laugh t o L i v e
Good dose of laughter has great benefits for your body.
By Shalan Savur
A
ccording to doctors, “For
every 5 minutes you laugh,
you add 5 days to your
lifetime.”
Sharing a good laugh is fun, but
did you know it can improve your
health?
Laughter is a normal and natural
physiological response to certain
stimuli with widely accepted
psychological benefits. Current
research indicates that laughter has
quantitative positive physiological
benefits as well.
What is laughter, after all?
It is a reflex that sets your
diaphragm going. It makes your
respiratory muscles expand and
contract rapidly, enhancing your
breathing apparatus and revving up
your circulation. The expansion and
contraction increase the chest cavity
and the lungs inhale more oxygen
while expelling more carbon dioxide
simultaneously.
As soon as this happens, a chain
reaction is triggered off in your body,
say fitness and health experts. It
produces adrenalin, the ‘arousal
hormone’ that awakens your senses.
Simultaneously, your heartbeats
quicken and your pupils dilate.
Due to this positive stress on
your heart, the heart pumps a
greater amount of blood through
your arteries and draws in more of it
through your veins. That is why your
face gets flushed.
Moreover, the adrenalin thus your muscles to relax for up to 45 injury or illness. This gets your heart
activated causes your pituitary glands minutes. Laughter also improves pumping and burns the same number
to release ACTH (adrenocorticotropic blood vessel function and increases of calories per hour as walking at a
hormone) which, in turn, stimulates blood flow, which can help protect slow to moderate pace. So, laugh your
the adrenal cortex to secrete cortisol. you from heart attacks and other heart out in health.
This has anti-inflammatory properties cardiovascular problems. T-cells are specialised cells of
and is especially useful for people immune system waiting to be
suffering from arthritis. Laughter And Workout activated in your body. When you
Dr. Lee Burke and Dr. Stanley A good belly laugh exercises the laugh, you activate T-cells that
Tan at Loma Linda University in diaphragm, contracts the abs, and immediately start helping you fight
California researched the benefits of even works the shoulders, leaving disease. The next time you feel like
laughter. the muscles more relaxed afterward. winter is coming, add laughter to
Their research has shown that the It also provides a good workout for your disease prevention plan.
health benefits of laughter are far- the heart. Studies show that our response
reaching. Studies so far have shown Laughter is a great cardio workout, to stressful events can be altered
that laughter can help relieve pain, especially for those who are unable by whether we perceive something
bring more pleasure, and even boost to do other physical activity due to as a threat or a challenge. Humour
immunity. can give us a more light-hearted
A 2011 study showed that Happy individuals approach and help us see events
women, who had undergone in vitro as challenges, making them less
fertilisation, were 16 per cent more live a balanced dangerous and more positive.
likely to become pregnant when life. so they have If laughter is the voice of good
entertained by a clown, compared many sources of humour, a smile is the expression of
to women who didn’t have a clown happiness the very foundation of a
encountered. happiness. When healthy life.
True laughter releases endorphins. happiness depends In his book, Psychology of
One effect of the release of this on one thing, you Happiness, Michael Fordyce writes,
hormone is that it increases the “Happy individuals live a balanced
ability to tolerate pain. In one study,
are on shaky life, so they have many sources of
participants in a group watched a ground. happiness happiness. When happiness depends
15-minute comedy show. Their pain is at its most brittle on one thing, you are on shaky
tolerance increased by 10 per cent
more than before laughter.
when its cause is ground.”
Indeed, happiness is at its most
A good, hearty laugh relieves a One-pointed brittle when its cause is a one-
physical and mental tension, allowing material possession. pointed material possession. Those
Psychiatrists are also urging their
depressed patients to simulate a
smile when the real thing vanishes
in the blues. The mere movement
of those minor muscles of the
mouth sets in a smile and relieves
your tension. And it isn’t long
before the real thing occupies its
place.
Laughter connects us to others.
Just like with a smile and kindness,
most people find that laughter is
contagious. So, if you bring more
laughter into your life, you can also
help others around you laugh more
and feel these benefits.
Going to a movie or comedy
club with friends is a great way to
bring more laughs into your life. The
contagious effects of laughter can
mean that you will laugh more than
you would during the show, plus you
will have jokes to reference at a later
time.
Instead of complaining about
life’s frustrations, try to laugh about
them. If something is so depressing
or distressing it is funny, realise
that you can ‘look back and laugh
at it’. Think about what this would
sound like a story you could tell your
friends, and then see if you can laugh
about it right now. One study shows
that smiling has a positive effect,
who felt the thrill vanish after It is especially be it a fake smile or a real. Fake
acquiring a new microwave oven laugh also provides the benefits
would know what the phrase “there good for asthma mentioned above. The body cannot
is more fun in the anticipation than in and bronchitis, the differentiate between the ‘fake’
the acquisition” means. two common Indian laugh that you initiate on purpose
Fordyce’s suggestion makes and the ‘real’ laughter that comes
sense in this context. Broad-base ailments. Similarly, from true humour.
your foundations and you can live laughing silently While wasting your time
happily ever after in the house with an open watching something moderately
called happiness. And a smile really funny can frustrate you. Watching
goes a long mile towards that mouth is good for really hilarious movies and shows is
destination. older people with an easy way to bring laughter into
Dr. Kataria says, “Laughing chest infections your life whenever you need it.
silently with your mouth closed You might want to share your
is akin to blowing a balloon. It is laughter is being tips with friends and you’ll have
especially good for asthma and seen as a stress- something to reference and laugh
bronchitis, the two common Indian releaser in the about together.
ailments. Similarly, laughing silently To conclude, laughter can prevent
with an open mouth is good for West. ‘Watch a illness — depressed people are more
older people with chest infections.” sitcom and de- prone to sickness than those with a
Interestingly, laughter is being stress yourself’ is sunny disposition. So, work on your
seen as a stress-releaser in the funny bone. For, often all that you
West. ‘Watch a sitcom and de-stress the current catch- need is — a good hearty laugh to
yourself’ is the current catch-phrase. phrase. brighten up your day! We
4
110 Woman’s Era ● June
May 2022
The Defamation Trial
Johnny Depp-Amber Heard Trial
Enters Final Days
The defamation trial in Virginia between
the actors Johnny Depp and Amber
Heard has become a fierce battleground
over the truth about their relationship,
with both sides accusing the other of
repeated domestic abuse in what was an
unquestionably tumultuous marriage.
Fashion’s Biggest Night,

The 2022 Met Gala
We saw bedazzled garments,
Met Gala 2022
intricate embroidery and gold

layered on gold as guests interpreted
the Gilded Glamor theme.
Vesak Celebrations 2022
Indonesians Celebrate Vesak
At World’s Largest
Buddhist Temple
Hundreds of lanterns were released
into the sky celebrating Vesak day
at the temple of Borobudur for
the first time since the coronavirus
pandemic hit the country. More
than a thousand Buddhists
gathered at the largest Buddhist
temple situated in Magelang,
Central Java, to commemorate the
birth, enlightenment and death of
Buddha Siddhartha Gautama.
French PM Jean Castex
Sri Lankan Crisis

Resigns As Macron
Prepares Cabinet Reshuffle
French Prime Minister Jean
Castex on Monday handed
his resignation to President
Emmanuel Macron, part of a
widely expected reshuffle to
make way for a new government
that could be the first led by a
woman in more than 30 years.
The departure of Castex, who
was a surprise choice for the
role in 2020, will enable newly
re-elected Macron to reshape
the cabinet ahead of crucial
Parliamentary polls in June.
Ranil Wickremesinghe Is
Newly Elected PM of
Sri Lanka
French Cabinet Reshuffle
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka

The unending political drama and
unprecedented street violence
culminating in unexplained
nationwide arson. Inherently, all
Executive Powers of the State
resides in incumbent Gotabaya
Rajapaksa. By swearing in
former prime minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe as prime minister,
President Gotabaya filled the
vacancy caused at his instance.
Billboard Music Awards 2022
BTS Sweeps The Billboard
Music Awards 2022
BTS have time and again proved
why they are simply untouchable.
Ahead of their comeback, BTS
has created history yet again
by winning three awards at the
Billboard Music Awards 2022 held
today. The septet was nominated
in close to seven categories for
this year’s BBMAs and took home
not one but three awards, creating
history.
Ukraine’s Victory Ukraine’s Eurovision

Win Amid The Ongoing
Russian Invasion
Ukrainian band Kalush
Orchestra won the 66th
Eurovision Song Contest
held in Turin, Italy, for its
song ‘Stefania’, in a clear
show of popular support
for conflict-hit Ukraine
that went beyond music.
Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky hailed
his country’s third victory
writing “Our courage
impresses the world, our
music conquers Europe!”
Queen Elizabeth II Attends

Platinum Jubilee
Royal Windsor Horse Show

The Queen has attended the final
night of an equestrian extravaganza
show to celebrate her Platinum
Jubilee. The 96-year-old was met
with a standing ovation as she
arrived in the castle arena at the
Royal Windsor Horse Show.
their brusque behaviour. Rajiv and even unintentionally. The writer has
Rima have taken the risk of finding given valuable tips for the victim also,
the truth and helped the decrepit instead of listening to weird remarks,
blind senior citizen. The realisation of he or she should stand in self-defence
Rima’s father is laudable. All said and by giving a befitting reply to the body
done though the Police for no truthful shammer and focus on self-growth.
reason arrested Santosh, the happy – By Harinder Kaur
ending gave the reader a great relief.
– By A. Raghavendra Rao Let’s talk about
YOU & ME
Body Shaming Sexual hygiene is vital
The article, Body to our overall health.
Shaming, by Sharanya Let’ s Talk About
Let’s talk about You
dy
Bomin
published in April 2022 Yo u & Me published in
Sha g
issue, truly describes A Social Mena
ce
&
Me
Sexual Hygiene
April 2022 was very
for both men and
women.
Abandoned the mental agony of

ruin Krishna
Toxic words can
incisive, inspiring and

By Manju Bal
life.
an otherwise perfect
By Saranya either
when it can be
after marriage or the onus is
tips on how to
T
summer
he last day before and ends talking or sharing hygiene. a hit or trial thing
it woman!
I
fun
break is always in my class. to have sex but maintain feminine entirely on the are a few things
t is important to follow important to
know
However, there do prior to and
on a lighter note is equally important habits. However, it is your
and sundry right
from hygiene to keep that you both
could
We discuss all some sexual hygiene about vaginal to be able to truly
the victim of body

outdoor sports, is can lead to infections genitals clean
and your post-sex in order some practical
The story, ‘Abandoned,’ appeared in

books, movies, Poor hygiene are
informative.
every conversation can lead to serious tract healthy. enjoy it. Below body
lafamilia and which, in turn, reproductive your sex drive
to your mind and
laughs and guffaws. the partners. From affecting tips to prepare
peppered with until diseases for both the first ability to reach
an
for a safe and
happy intimate
was no different is fertility and your
This year, too, veered into Sexual hygiene in intimate life for indifferent about experience with
your partner.
the conversation though responsible step partner and your orgasm, being can have under the sheets,
your vaginal health So, get sassy
something serious, not meant to be the safety of your Sexual hygiene
of
but follow these sex.
sexual hygiene
unexpected. It
was
what own well-being. adverse effects. that is almost safe
I asked everyone vaginal
men is something our society until habits to have
serious when Just like menstruation, in India.
to do in their subject never discussed
in
are they planning hygiene is a taboodate refrain from
to
break? question! While Many women ●April 2022
Woman’s Era
shaming. When
An innocuous
up with slew of
Woman’s Era, January 2022 issue, is

everyone came
It is disheartening
their 100
plans like meeting to their native
going
grandparents, good movies
place or just watch girl was mulling
with friends; one
which she clearly
over something and
radiant smile
hid behind her
luminous eyes.
very gripping I would say. Ms Nirmala we pass negative that many people (especially men)
Mangalat brought in remarks on somebody’s appearance, are poor at sexual hygiene; on the
Abandoned
Short
Story
many twists in the ed in a happ
y n o t e . By Nirmala
Maugalat
the person gets deeply hurt. Some other side, others are very particular
people are in the habit of ridiculing
ht drama end meetings. It
The whole nig
story as to create and discreet. Good sexual hygiene

some business that he
in the sun, but his son’s idea
not directly was
you get the warmth him on the
inside. In case could still feel should also join
P
on rays. Ah...
apa, you sit here hungry or feel
like
I’m of the slanting
particularly
trip. He did not cosy little
You sitting
this park bench. munching something... he always enjoyed want to leave
his
to also to Too old
said you wanted leaving a phone you. under a tree listening home in Palghat.
in the
listen to the birds are! Lots inside, ok? I’ll
call the leaves in to travel, he had told his
the rustling of insisted.
park, so here you birds in Sure you’re comfortable? the breeze and
the son, but Santosh change
of come with birds. He “It will be a nice
of trees and lots be all ... Or you can chirping of the his
you me, if you want.” Anyway,
this park. Will
great! Then you go contentedly stretched for you, Papa.
others for their being very thin or

“No, no, no... for you
right? Yes? Ok, legs. what’s so urgent
enough surprise. It
to the work, I’ll
considerably decreases the chances

to
I’ll just drive down an hour and finish your They had come here?”
in pleasant and his son, put it that
city and be back to just enjoy this Bangalore, he “Well... if you
perhaps had
or so... A few errands to pick evening sun and nap!” because the latter way...” his
run, and I’ll come even have little
a
you And then Narayan,
and
an hoaur “Okay, then. See
you up, max in I’ll just you go long-time neighbour
Papa!” “No, no, no... also
and a half. Okay? There’s after an hour, your work, I’ll
just best friend, had
keep this bag
here. It was a nice shady and finish
evening
of water and some the park. He was enjoy this pleasant
a bottle spot in even have
sun and perhaps
biscuits and bananas a little nap!”
is quite true that we very fat which compells that person of getting infections down there
did hear some cases to alienate himself/herself from the and leads to infertility as well as the
of abandonment of toxic people. Everyone is blessed with possibility of contracting all types of
old people having good qualities, appreciate those good STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).
unable either to look after them or qualities and if you are concerned In women, the URETHRA is shorter
pressure from their spouses. The about that person’s appearance than in men and the chances of
Police behaviour is exactly what the render genuine help and guidance Urinary Tract infections (UTI) are
authoress described. We too had but never make fun of anybody. pretty more. The less length shortens
unpleasant experiences with them. Sometimes the psychological the distance that bacteria must
Only a threat of reporting to higher negative effects are long-lasting, so travel to reach the bladder.
authorities or politicians that stall refrain from body shaming someone, Poor hygiene can also cause
LEUCORRHOEA in females.
UP elections victory – By Dr Sunil Chopra
Appropos to the editorial UP the covid outbreak. However, it is
TRUE
elections victory published in only the electrifying presence of
Woman’s Era, April 2022. BJP Modi who could convey successfully Incident
winning hands down in UP assembly the subaltern psyche that he is
polls recently reveals that BJP determined to transform India had invites readers’ opinions and
under Modi not only articulated the a great impact showing his ability to
narrative but actualised it to a great change mindsets. Above all, Modi’s reactions on articles, short
extent which caught the effort to beat anti-incumbency stories and features published
imagination of all segments in the state through his pledge in Woman’s Era. E-mail to:
, the
schemes
EDITORIAL
AAP subsidyQuality of the
by the
autos,
funded quite literally.that the
potholes
carts to the dogs, so bad leads to
nts gone to in the city is the roads moment. In
city has tion of
UG aspira relaid
roads being Any construc tenure at clue on how to
the
for the 12th grade
tunnel
AAP’s has no tech to
for the
aspiring board were better.last till the ent
A newis quite a big blow to take have the
13 years for higher jams whichelected governm they may the freebies.
toil for of that
This
who literallyare the mainstay career short, the state, and distribute does not
for a regular without city only to college managers
students
These exams and also run the it, which has electoral
exams. n all over India a decision only win d for their may be capable and the
year. Taking in this major
of voters including the young to transform the landscape

that they entrants rich
educatiostudents each bodies ce of parents- Being Robinhoo the new y, the
letters@womansera.com or by
an excuseas well. While
lakhs of school and students confiden was a reason levy for of electricitsame. So,
a toll on c great cityrupees per unit for the the
involving will only take pandemi higher of this d only gets
India. If obtaining for the pay zero much as 20 rupees
recourse -employers in easily or slums Robinhoo city
waited pay as playing not a great with the
students were passingent must have moment. colonies
is at the votes andration. Now, n of the
why students the governm which it the entire
then
grades, to be near normal, and change
administ of unificatio
one
new problem areas into BJP is at a
scenario a force majeure and
deal n, exams three MCDted unit, the who will
But to
of educatio consolida with AAP on
course will come at this war lis. Indeed, the
a
students verbal
learning ial cost to the not metropo for in
run this to watch
substant system, was
the means great space days.
electorate. Despite Yogi through his many flagship

and to d. Another exam few
warrante differently, and
coming y
coaching to ns victor ,
studying l and costlier
additionaThe aspirants
will have
n and
UP electio did win
the elections
what
The BJP
post to:
examine
for few. an added evaluatio needs to some 40 odd
of a set process. but one d in is so
undergo n local margin only,
that the has happene
it is a replicatio winning votes
concern get seats. The100 to 2500 the party
Also, the y should not n
low from could say that
universit outside its jurisdictio it the
easy, all that one Then again,
students influence is the
of ent got lucky.is definitely about
or area governm here
only one the election winner seems
needed on refraining in and the
winner, Congress so
notificati or the colleges all. The
Adityanath’s popularity was

takes it
initiatives to benefit the

. finished,
students outside students toil or less is well
to be more di agenda ed
acceptingwhy will the students use Committ
Now, Of what the Shah-Mo and now. lost its
exam? here and
settled
for a boardmarks be? What the
As you say
mistakes the new
and to making with
will thesewill the public when totally, of
bearing still having lots party
rhetoric ent school address to leaders that the
have
governm again duate n of Congress it’s unlikely survival shot.
their students generatio old booty, for calling a ent
for an undergras can onlybe n from the plan , top managem
appear to of educatio money savor a years from
These question will have new regime added costs able to of it, the Congress in a few t, AAP
exam? ed and will be
Once this new with has already looks the country di onslaugh on
be deliberat od in time. will also be From the want to leave the Shah-Mo
which be a busy working
understo ents in work, appears to may just that’s it. With were quite and the SP that
requirem
dipping as seen from the crowds

duplicity they
unemployed and others tilted

sets it, In what this now, and but still is totally finished dable wininga
It is sheer exams. recalling
and time. with board administration, ers. has survived to a commen to be
of the stakehold which again is unlikely
been settled reaction loss to
all the the BSP, carry the rhetoric , the SP with enough
kneejerk be a colossal
capitathis l could not the next electionsnot be left nal for
polluted
In may
will again margin. since it will be
operatio
favour
with
the major strength Mandir card to BJP’s
the most
keeping
failed in jams all over as s and Ram
DelhiAPP to have resource , titling the religion om
seems There are trafficminister as well in place. mansera.c
The little
lis in check. and PWD having devotees economy editor@wo 5
metropo the deputy chief Manish Sisodia AAP winning a new religious
the
city, with hand of Kejriwal, city. Since in to the
this
the right handle the expats coming hand
how to on ity from 2022
idea on is dependent opportun Era ● April
formula seeking any business Woman’s
at various places during his the scale in BJP’s favour once

city and
campaign, it was expected that again this time. This not only tells E-3 Jhandewala Estate, New
UP would witness a hung assembly the tale that India needs decisive Delhi-110055.
on account of farmers’ agitation leadership but also speaks volumes
for a year, immense sufferings about the immense trust voters Womansera.com
encountered by migrants returning have reposed in Modi despite facing Name:
home penniless and dismal medical difficulties during the covid period. Mobile:
care saw thousands of deaths after – By R. Srinivasan E-mail:
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(REGISTERED) RNI 25561/1973 DL(C)-14/1417/2021-23 P.O. SRT Nagar, ND-55. Posting Dt. 03 to 10. Published on 01/06/2022. Pgs. 116.

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