Disco And Barbeque With Bappi Da!

This festive season,  I was invited to celebrate in Bollywood disco style by Barbeque Nation  with none other than Bappi Lahiri in attendance. As we all know, Bappi Lahiri is the man behind launching disco in Bollywood. That is why the Bollywood Disco Carnival at Barbeque Nation associates itself aptly with the great Disco King Bappi Lahiri. The seventeen-day-long disco carnival is being celebrated from December 18 to January 3.

 

All the disco-licious dishes at Barbeque Nation are renamed, inspired by Bollywood disco theme. Meeting legendary Disco King Bappi Lahiri at Barbeque Nation's Jangpura outlet was not only an honor but also a dream come true. He would be visiting various Barbeque Nation outlets during this carnival. The carnival is running in nineteen Barbeque Nation outlets – fifteen in Delhi-NCR region and one each in Jaipur, Lucknow, Mohali and Chandigarh. 

 

The disco carnival running for a period of seventeen days will be full of thrill and entertainment at Barbeque Nation. There has been an overhauling of ambiance at the outlets. The regular ambiance has been transformed to imitating that of a discotheque for this period. The entrance has been made like a giant disco-ball shape decorated with strobe lights to welcome its customers. This is the right beginning to build the mood for the occasion. The interior is much more flashy and jazzy to create right kind of disco theme. There will be flashy disco balls and glow-in-the-dark headbands. The colorful LED dance floor and vibrant surroundings will be enough to take you back to the Bollywood disco period. 

In Delhi-NCR region, the outlets celebrating are situated in Connaught Place, Saket, Jangpura, Vasant Kunj, Janakpuri, Pitampura, Noida, Vivek Vihar. Besides this, you will find it in Gurgaon – Sohna Road and Sushant Lok; and in Faridabad. The average pricing for a meal for two is around ₹1,600. Don’t forget to try the disco-inspired dishes like Bol Bachchan Fish, Singham Prawns and Exotica De Guru on the non-veg front. If you prefer the vegetarian delicacies, then you can try Disco Chat, Sanghmarmar Cheese and Zubi Zubi Guchi Mushroom. 

#KnowYourRights And Raise Your Voice!

If God treats a man and a woman as equal, then what right does anybody on this earth have to treat a woman as being lesser than a man? Who is at fault for creating this difference? Why is our society male dominant? Why a woman is forced to bear being labelled as wrong even if she is right? And why a man is by default right, even if most of the times he is wrong? Why is education said to be more important for boys? Why are a boy and a girl not seen equally and given equal chances to grow in a family, in a society and in a nation? This chaotic scenario is no different in other countries. Everywhere, it is the same.

It is the high time for a woman to stand tall, stay confident and know her rights. It is time for every girl and woman to fight against sexual violence.  It is high time for a family, for a society, for a country and for the whole world to give support and confidence to the women of the world. Pick up the newspaper rendered in any language, being circulated in any country; you are bound to read about a number of stories revolving around sexual abuse. The number of cases related to sexual abuse, sexual harassment or sexual violence is at a rise everywhere. It is not always a stranger who commits this heinous act against a girl child or a woman. Most of the times it is a known individual indulging in such heinous crimes. The worst part is that the number of reported cases is far less than the actual. In India, hardly 1% of the sexual violence cases come into light.

Look at a recent case where a juvenile rapist is being released by the high court. Not only is this alarming but he also being given a substantial amount of money and a sewing machine to start his career, is unpardonable! And all this is happening in the middle of public upheaval with the Prime Minister, other ministers of the country, and other eminent personalities and celebrities voicing their disdain. Probably it is a cluster of loopholes in our books of law that allow all this trespassing right under the nose of judiciary. It also points out at the level of education that if not imparted at the right time, can cause havoc at a later stage in life.

Be it on either side of the gender, a proper education, knowledge and learning is important in the society. A boy is to be taught to be respectful towards a girl. He must learn to be a positive agent in the society rather than nurturing negativity in his persona and becoming a callous and unmindful individual.

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I’m writing this blog post to support Amnesty International’s #KnowYourRights campaign at BlogAdda. You can also contribute to the cause by donating or spreading the word.

The Monster Lies Within!

When will the day come when we will be able to completely eradicate the heinous abuse of sexual violence? The whole world is the victim and the whole world is the culprit. Male dominance might be considered to be one of the major reasons that the whole world has always turned a blind eye to the rights of women. If a woman becomes aware of her rights at the right time in her life, probably she can elevate her stature to a better height in terms of career, education and financial standing, which are considered pivotal to patriarchal mindset.

Probably the problem is within the house instead of elsewhere. The level of confidence that comes from within the house for a girl child, right from the time of her entry in the house, is the point of concern. Within a family itself we observe a big difference in the way a boy is treated from a girl. The kind of astounding attention a boy child gets in the house is demotivating enough for a girl child to feel herself as being sidelined. Leave alone the equal amount of privileges, a girl child is neglected to an extent to not equip with proper education and knowledge. And under these circumstances how do you expect her to feel equal, substantial and empowered enough to raise her voice against any kind of wrongdoing against her?

The society, nation and world come later. First and prime roles to build a strong woman begin within a family. Home is the place where it has to begin, at the right time in life. But a supportive family alone will not suffice the purpose. What if the society is obsessed with male dominance and suppresses anyone raising an alarm against sexual violence whereas at home it is taught not to accept it at any cost? Hence, the society and nation need to be aligned well with this thought process if there has to be change brought to the fore.

A woman has all the rights to raise an alarm against sexual violence or abuse. She has all the rights to see the culprit getting caught and being punished by the law. She has all the rights not to feel ashamed and suffer throughout her life just at no fault of hers. If someone else is at fault, it needs to be seen through appropriately. A strong message has to go the society that nothing of this sort is further going to be acceptable at any cost. Probably, that way, we can at least soon dream to have a fearless world with no cases of sexual abuse, harassment or violence.

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I’m writing this blog post to support Amnesty International’s #KnowYourRights campaign at BlogAdda. You can also contribute to the cause by donating or spreading the word.

Picture Perfect Postcard!

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Pondicherry is now known as Puducherry. It was a French colony until 1954 after which it was declared as a Union Territory (UT). It lies in the south-east part of Tamil Nadu. You can witness French Quarter intact even today, well maintained, sustained and preserved for its beauty and legacy. The tree-lined streets are fabulous to walk-by. The mustard-colored colonial quarters or villas are state-of-the-art and looks like poetry by a poet admiring beauty of nature. Pondicherry is built along the Bay of Bengal and a nice and calm place to stay (or visit). Don’t miss the beaches, surfing and beautiful monuments in Puducherry.

Design: The design as stated above is excellent and unique. It is mesmerizing in all aspects and is one of the strongest attracting factors for visitors and tourists not only from various states of India but from International destinations.  Some more remarkable architecture to mention include 4 meter high Gandhi Memorial that is standing just on the path adjacent to beach. On the opposite side a large number of tall and wide buildings have come up in last few years to accommodate the increasing number of visitors in this small town. Puducherry has an international airport. A few of the must visit places in Puducherry are - Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple, Seaside Promenade, Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Eglise de Notre Dame des Anges, Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and French War Memorial.

Drive: A drive inside the town is not possible to be as fast as the roads are not quite wide and multi-lane as per the design. You have to drive slowly but then the traffic never jams here and it keeps moving. Various localities in the town are well connected through road. You get auto-rickshaws and local taxis to move in and around the town. You would enjoy walking on the roads here that give you a calming and soothing feeling as you walk along the sea or within the French colonies. PRTC (Puducherry Road Transport Corporation) and rail are other means of transport on Puducherry that the locales and commuters bank up on.

Connect: Puducherry connect well with its adjacent city Chennai via state highway 49. This highway is also known as East Coast Road (ECR). It is a two-lane highway but goes smooth along the sea side providing you alluring scenic views. This highway connects Chennai with Cuddalore via Puducherry. The East Coast Highway has further been extended up to Thoothkudi going via Chidambaram, Karaikal, Nagapattinam, Nagore, Adirampattinam, Ramnathpuram and Thiruthuraipoondi. The complete stretch is around 700 kilometres from Chennai to Thoothkudi. The same highway is being further stretched to connect it with Kanyakumari from Tuticorin. This stretch will be via Tiruchendoor and Kodankulam.

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This post has been written for #madeofgreat Zonal War in association with IndiBlogger.

#ResponsibleTourism Must Pay Heed...

I am an avid traveler. I love nature. Whenever I travel and meet other fellow travelers on the way, there is always a scope of learning something new. When someone does something bad to nature or something in favor, it is always a learning point for me. Usually, I never preach. I love to demonstrate my thoughts and ideologies through my actions. I have traveled almost all across India. The versatility of India is remarkable. We have seas, deserts, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, mountains and what not. At times, there have been some painful experiences that hurt.

Nature can’t speak, but it always reciprocates. Her law is care for care. If we care for her, she will definitely care for us. If we don’t care for her, she will wait till the break even point. But once her patience is broken then nothing can stop her. Once she reacts it is just destruction all over. It hurts when people travel houses spoil travelers by giving them extra privileges without realizing how much it is impacting nature. AC, heaters, water, energy, food, amenities; everything goes beyond the limit. There are no guidelines set for visitors and travelers in hotels to act as a responsible guest.

For instance, there is no necessity to use a new towel every day. There is not even a need of five towels of varied sizes in a room for a single guest. More towels, more frequently exchanged with the new ones means more washing, cleaning, and wasting natural resources. Similar things must be taken care of by not only the service providers but also the consumers.

It hurts when I see people throwing waste, garbage and food scraps in rivers, seas, on hills, and to malign various other tourist places. Why can’t we set a discipline for ourselves first to adhere to it? Why should we look at others and start behaving like them by breaking all rules? Why should we break rules by observing others doing it?  Why can’t we control ourselves even if we see others doing wrong? Why can’t we rather set an example for others to follow by doing right things at the right place, without any fear?

It is good to see a lot of things happening in this regard now, on a global scale. People at both ends have realized that whosoever does the wrong, nature’s impact would take everyone in its grip without any discrimination. Hope someday we set our rules on our own without waiting for any rule makers. And wish that soon there will be no rule breakers on this earth. When everyone starts loving nature and caring for it the same will come in return, for everyone.

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I am blogging for #ResponsibleTourism activity by Outlook Traveller in association with BlogAdda.

Sharing & Caring Is The Key To #ResponsibleTourism

There are a few guidelines that everyone must follow while travelling. The destination needs to be understood from the core of your heart so as to know the place and its customs well. Act and stay at the destination of your choice as per the local requirements of the place, ecosystem and nature rather than being a stubborn person living in your own world and doing as your own will. This stubbornness might become a fatal factor for the place where you are visiting or staying for a while.

Respect local people as you would like to be respected at your place. Remember that you are at someone else’s home for that matter. You need to learn the rules of the house where you are going to stay rather than taking your own set of rules. Flexibility is the key to sustenance. Adaptability to the core of your actions is what you need to understand. The culture and traditions might be different at your place of a visit, or travel. Try to be one of them when you are there rather than screaming your own songs.

Nature preservation is everyone’s responsibility and everyone understands what need to be done for this. There are two sets of people in this regard – Those who understand but don’t act; and those who keep their doors open to understanding fast and act accordingly. Natural environments need to be preserved and loved as we do at our home.  Natural, cultural and legal adaptability is important about a new place you are visiting. Learn the dependency factors that are the earning and feeding factors for the local communities. Try not to play with those dependency factors. Rather help them in preserving those factors that build their life.

Buy from local markets and use the local transport system rather than bulking your food to a tourist place and taking your big cars there. Enjoy life there in their way rather than taking your own means of enjoyment that could be altogether different from theirs. Stay healthy and spread health around. Don’t indulge yourself into unhealthy practices. Some small actions spread big messages. Probably seeing your good actions at a tourist place might become a lesson for many. Such small things can make big changes in the life of others. Think carefully about each activity of yours at a tourist place.

The local people at a tourist place thrive on tourists. They depend on tourists for earning their bread and butter. Be respectful to a place and the people living there. Try to add something extra in their life every time you visit there rather than taking away something from them.

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I am blogging for #ResponsibleTourism activity by Outlook Traveller in association with BlogAdda.

KAZO Comes To MGF!

Recently, I got a chance to attend the inauguration of Kazo’s newest store based in MGF Metropolitan Mall, Gurgaon. The store is fabulous, compact and brimming with a variety of beautiful dresses, bags and accessories.

Kazo Clothing, as we all know is known for being an international brand with style and vigor. The clothing is always charming and is available at affordable price. Customers visiting the store were amazed by the upped style quotient of the dresses available in the store.

This is the place where modern meets the sobriety. Each of the fabulous dresses available in the store would suit well with one's style and elegance.

 

The store is close to MG Road Metro station, by virtue of being inside the MGF Mall. By road, if you plan to reach the store, just catch NH8, take Exit 6 to the side lane to take a left while coming from Delhi. The coy store in the MGF Mall is always ready to welcoming its customers with a warm welcome. Eloquence is all around. 

 

Kazo Clothing has always been known to introduce modernity in women's dressing in India. The stores have been mapped all across India. There are exclusive Kazo stores in most of the major cities of India. 

Elsewhere, Kazo is present in the form of multi-brand outlets. Wherever Kazo is, it is the star of the region in terms of clothing. 

For every dress here, you find a number of matching bags matching your style and attire. If you have not visited a Kazo Clothing store yet, ensure to visit one, nearest to your base and you are bound to be mesmerized with the variety you will get here. 

Smiley Vermicelli Made Him Smile!

“Beta, please don't have so many desserts, so often!”

“Why Ma? I love desserts more than anything else! Earlier you never used to deny me but now, whenever you prepare something sweet for me, you also preach to me not to have it in excess. Why?” 

“Beta I know you love sweets, and I love this smile which comes on your face, whenever you relish any dessert which I prepare for you with such affection. But, being a mother I am also concerned about your health. You are gaining weight day by day and I am worried that increased sugar intake can lead to diabetes.” 

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Ma was constantly reminding him of the perils of having a sweet tooth, but she didn’t want to keep him devoid of the pleasure of having desserts altogether too! After all, one cannot live with sweetness, can they?

So, she started searching for a healthier alternative. One fine day, she came to know of  Sugar Free Natura as a substitute to sugar. She thought of giving it a try by deciding to make her son’s favorite Vermicelli. The #DessertChallenge here, was if a sweetener could bring the same twinkle in his eyes as spoonfuls of sugar.

Smiley Vermicelli 

Portion Size: 5

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

Cooking Time: 10 Minutes

Utensils:

• Vessel  (1) 
• Stirrer (1) 
• Bowl (2)  
• Plate (1)  

Ingredients:

• 500 ml Full Cream Milk
• 1 small bowl Vermicelli
• Almonds and Cashews
• Strawberry Crush 

Recipe:

1. Boil full-cream milk. 
2. Add vermicelli to boiling milk, while stirring for 5 minutes. 
3. Add Sugar Free Natura and stir to dissolve.  
4. Switch off the burner. 
5. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. 

Plating:

• Take thickened Vermicelli in a plate. 
• Garnish it with finely chopped almonds and cashews. 
• Put 1-2 drops of strawberry crush on the top and decorate the plate with a strawberry smiley.
• Serve in small bowls. 

Ankit loved the smiley his Ma made in the plate. Actually, only Ma knew that Ankit couldn’t contrast the sugar she used to add in the vermicelli in the past and the sweetener which had been added - low-calorie Sugar Free Natura - without making any difference to the taste of his favorite dish. So, both the purposes were solved. Healthy and Tasty, at the same time! Bingo, Sugar Free Natura! 

Smiley Vermicelli won Ankit's heart! 

And, Ma couldn't have been happier! :)

We Are At Loss...

As a student, I witness frightful instances around that make me wonder how life has changed everyone around. I am able to feel the existence of a huge crack around, the moment I step out from home to go to college every day. I commute by Metro and see that nobody around my age is sensitive and caring towards elders, ladies and kids.

The moment I reach the metro station to board a metro to college, I see a lot of youth around.  But everyone seems to be so busy in their own self as if they all belong to different planets. There is no connection. Humanism and humanity seem to have lost their reach. There is nothing around that is joyful or lively.

Everyone in the metro has only one companion. A companion that is lifeless. A device that is there in their hand or in their pocket either to talk to someone, to watch a movie or video, or to listen to music, or play games. Each individual has only one connection. A connection with his or her smartphone is all that matters. A smartphone, a headphone or a Bluetooth earphone, is the only thing that is there.

Youthfulness has lost its analogous relationship to joy. Nobody likes to talk to each other, discuss the burning issues of the society, and talk about studies or career. It is as if the life begins and ends only with a smartphone. Everything has become so mechanical and stereotyped.

Youth occupying the seats reserved for ladies and elders are so short of vision that they dare to ignore a lady standing just in front of them holding a kid in her arms. They act as if they are ignorant to feel and sense the need of the hour and offer them the seat that is meant for them.

Even an elder person has to remind a youth to vacate the seat that is meant for him or her while the youth sitting on that seat is either wavering along to musical beats with eyes closed and earplugs stuffed in the ears or engrossed in watching a movie.

Has a smartphone given us the privilege to ignore such things? Do we have really lost our senses and become heartless? Where have the values of empathy and compassion disappeared? In which mind-maze has etiquette lost its way?

Even in the college everyone has become so self-centered that nobody cares to help each other. Even if someone asks for some small help like any information regarding a lecture, or sharing of notes, the other person becomes to ignorant and careless to intentionally ignore or refuse. The pain and emotions have lost their meaning.

It is some hidden fear that is forcing everyone to behave like this. There is no culture of bonding and real friendship that is left anywhere. Are we craving just for minute and momentary pleasures? Have we really lost the meaning of joy and happiness in our lives? I really wonder.

#Airtel4G Is The Hero!

That is called the innovative result - the #Airtel4G Network from Airtel India, which had challenged us. Thanks to the fact that I belong to the new generation where we are unstoppable in terms of browsing and expecting tremendous results from whatever we do over the internet.

I belong to the generation that is dynamic, multi-tasking and most of the time on the move. But then I want each minute of the day to be utilized to the maximum extent in terms of my knowledge, enjoyment and actions.

I prefer to drive fast, but ensure I don’t drive rash. I prefer to browse most of the time during the day, but I ensure that I don’t let it go waste. I download a lot on the internet, on the move, through my mobile, as I love music, movies and of course audio books.

I was facing this crunch of speed so far because all my planned downloads never used to happen as per my stipulated time frame. I remember when I had selected five audio books to be downloaded on my mobile from a particular site, while I was commuting to my college, and I could hardly download two. I used to fail in downloading movies or a complete music album in one go, earlier.

Now I have #Airtel4G. What I was not able to achieve during one day, is now accomplished in a matter of hours. That is the beauty of 4G. In fact my friends now envy me for the results I am able to derive from my 4G network.

The speed at which the downloads happen, the speed at which  the maps work so accurately, the speed at which I am able to sync my heavy project files and coding files with the space I have on cloud, is fabulous. No doubt, my need for speed has increased, and so has my data consumption. But then, as long as it fulfills my requirements and makes me happy, it is worth investing in. Moreover it is the results that matter more than anything.

4G works with the speed of a bullet. It takes almost half the time to download a file that it used to consume on 3G. Now there are no download failures. Delays have gone out of my dictionary. My file uploads are happening now in real time without any consideration of where I am and what I am doing. I am able to perform live video streaming download and upload and that too with a fabulous speed.

I think if you don’t have 4G network, you are losing out on the real enjoyment of browsing, streaming, downloading and uploading. Forget everything and just go for it. #Airtel4G is a hero in disguise and every person in this perpetually connected world deserves to experience it, at least once. 

Have You Accepted The #Airtel4G Challenge?

Ours is a nation whose citizens are perpetually hungry. Hungry in terms of various resources. Be it a better lifestyle or improved facilities at our disposal, we always demand more.
We aim for the pinnacle, by promoting such desires which aim 'high'. We dislike high prices, though. ;)

When it comes to connectivity, we leave no stone upturned to ensure that all our devices operate at lightning fast speed. I remember when, with the advent of 3G, people went nutsy and their joy knew no bounds to realize that life had been made effortless, by the second. Naturally, it felt good to know that I would be able to enjoy an even more seamless browsing experience, over my preferred network, on the go than before.

All hopes of our country's people, however, were dashed when in came the array of scams concerning the Spectrum. In the game of communication and connectivity, the choice of spectrum and it s transparency is a pre-requisite which governs all favorable outcomes.

Airtel - @AirtelIndia, which is the network, I'm currently on, has made a clever move by introducing a new player - #Airtel4G into the coveted tournament and it seems a winner already!

4G was launched nationwide today, with a very interesting television advert, which also seems to be the talk of the town. It lays a claim and proposes a challenge to the viewer. Airtel claims to have introduced the fastest network, the Indian consumer base has ever subscribed to. Airtel also promises to a consumer's bills for life if he/she manages to beat the speed of #Airtel4G.

I always marvel at Airtel's marketing strategies. Their signature jingle is the first thing, I'm reminded of, at the mention of their name. This one commercial was engaging too, to an extent that I was prompted to explore all its fine details!

Given  the following features, I'm sure you would love to settle for 4G too.

• High-speed performance is the most basic requirement for us, in this nation. Point. 
• Fast video streaming is meant for students like me, who wish to learn, on the go, through video tutorials of sorts. Point.
• Ease of use is what governs the likability of any product/service. User-friendliness and effortlessness score a Point.

The most impressive point which brings the ball entirely in Airtel's court is that #Airtel4G is being offered at the SAME price as 3G! 

Isn't that AWESOME? 

You do not have to tackle the tradeoff between Price and Speed.
No. Not At All.

All you need to experience this fastest network is a 4G ready device, a 4G SIM and a 3G data pack. You can get the SIM delivered to your doorstep, free of cost.

If you have a 4G device with a 3G plan, you can access 4G speeds instantly with the 4G SIM.

Airtel offers a unique 4G SIM delivery service, wherein any Airtel user with a 4G handset can tweet using #GetAirtel4G to get a 4G SIM delivered to their home for free.

Once a user tweets #GetAirtel4G he gets a reply from @AirtelIndia handle directing the user to a link where a user need to enter his details for SIM delivery.

What are you waiting for? :D

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Would You Balance Or Crash Your Diet?

Ever since we were kids, we have been taught the importance of adopting a balanced diet in our daily lifestyle.

Children have been made to understand how significant it is to have three square meals in a day, which are rich in a variety of nutrients, vitamins and minerals so as to aid proper development of their bodies and to keep all types of deficiency diseases at bay. 

As alluring as junk food items are, and as yummy as they may seem to be, the taste of these fast-food items is what weighs heavy on the health of an individual. Junk food is said to be devoid of all nutritional content, while being high on the taste factor, just like sedatives which degrade the health of an individual. 

It is no wonder then that there are news bulletins being televised proclaiming how many kids fall prey to this evil monster of ill-health every other day and are thus affected by obesity, hypertension and all other such diseases which could be life-threatening in the long run. 

On the other hand, there are some fitness freaks too, who end up pursuing crash diets to attain a fitter and more desirable body shape. Although these sort of 'one step solutions' seem miraculously ideal, they end up having an even more adverse effect than the former on the individual's health! 

Well, of course excess of anything is bad, but the same goes for deprivation also! These crash diets aim for rapid results in a short span of time, which in affects the body, because it does not get enough time then, to adjust itself to the change in food habits! 

While crash diets end up relying only on a certain food group for a certain period of time.  As most of them are very monotone and severely restrict the calorie intake, crash diets can be a pain to sustain oneself. 

Moreover, you may also take up various risks if you decide to embrace a crash diet. The slowing down of your metabolism, loss of muscle, weakening of the bones, potentially leading to osteoporosis, deprivation of essential nutrients, weakening of your immune system, cardiac stress and heart palpitations are some of the many risks which come attached with the label of crash dieting!

Having said that, I rely on a natural product to keep a check on my weight. Honey has helped me over the years to see that I sustain my body shape at least, if I am unable to reduce my weight. 

Who better than Dabur to trust for providing me with the sweeter and healthier alternative of adopting a Honey Diet so that I don't end up eating all bland food, while my taste buds crave for something yummier! :) 

It is because of honey's inherent purity and goodness, that it is endowed with various vitamins and minerals, along with the requisite amounts of iron and calcium. I can say #HoneyDietIsHere and honey is a sweeter and healthier alternative for all of us. :)

Quick Cricket, Thanks To UC Web!

Indians are true devotees when it comes to the sport of Cricket. With the Master Blaster, the God of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar hailing from home soil, it comes as a no-brainer that Cricket is the game which is thought to be the national game of the country.

On the international front too, we have had sportsmen, no less than magicians, weaving their magic with their sportsmanship and the humble bat, helmet and pads. People love this magic, which has spread far and wide, across the seven seas.

In India, to be specific, it would be like picking the needle from the haystack if I were to tell you to spot an Indian who does not profess his love for the sport. Ironically, we Indians are too devoted to the game. For us, the entire world would be in one pan and the game of cricket in another, on the weighing scales, to be frank.

Who can forget the countless matches when India clashes with Pakistan on the field, and our sweet-sour relationship with our dear neighbouring country, surfaces during each World Cup tournament!

6-0 and मौका-मौका - even the advertising agencies know what allures Indians the most! We are like that, uniting as a nation for a simple sport, whilst being divided over petty issues of casteism and religion, otherwise.

Most of us, however, have to choose our profession over passion. More often than not, it is the exam stress for us students, and those board meetings for employees which lead us to a topic of debate - 'Exam OR Game', 'Job OR Match'!
More often than not, our fast-paced lifestyle makes it even more difficult for us, to buck up in the race of time and to grab hold of some relaxing pursuit. There is a need for speed, in all that we do, and all that we experience.

In the event of a golden opportunity to lay back and rest for a while, the demon of buffering surfaces even when we attempt to watch a live telecast of the game on our so-called smartphones.
Eventually, out of frustration, we decide to call it off and call it a day.

Recently, one of my friends introduced me to the lightning fast speed of the UC Browser, which has been marketed by UC Web, to enable the quintessential Indian to enjoy the game, sans any unwanted interruptions. I was really impressed by the effortless streaming of the proceedings of the game, on this particular browser.

Moreover, it is being endorsed by one of my all-time favorite cricketers, Yuvraj Singh. #YuviSurfsUC, they say. Well, if you have such an illustrious personality vouching for the reliability of a brand, it serves the purpose right. Just like Yuvi's sixers which land high across the boundaries, UC Web has also hit a sixer, by introducing the Indian audience to UC Cricket! :)

Zenfone2 Goes Social!

Being a proud owner of an ASUS Zenfone 5, I was elated when I had heard that ASUS would be launching the ASUS Zenfone2, which would be surpassing the standard set by Zenfone 5, and creating its own identity in this competitive world.

I had been fortunate enough to even attend the official launch at the Kingdom of Dreams in the presence of ASUS Global CEO, Mr. Jerry Shen and other senior officials from ASUS. Also, it was expected to be a starry affair with popular names from the film fraternity, of the likes of the Nawab of Pataudi, Saif Ali Khan, ace photographer Dabboo Ratnani and singer, Aditi Singh Sharma in attendance.

I marveled at the excellence in the craftsmanship of ASUS Zenfone2, and was equally impressed by their social media marketing strategies, which had brought the outstanding features, possessed by ASUS Zenfone2, to the limelight.

Fear not, because ASUS Zenfone2 a.k.a. Agent Z is here. Armed with 13 MP PixelMaster Camera, and Dual-Color Real Tone Flash, Agent Z shoots like a trained assassin! You are set to get the perfect clicks, thanks to the enhanced sensitivity, even in low-light mode, without doubt.

Agent Z is to be driven like a champion racer. Powered by lightning fast 4 GB RAM and Intel Atom Processor, you're bound to get work done in the blink of an eye!

Agent Z makes sure that it owns the red carpet, thanks to its incredible design, a trademark of the ASUS flagship.

ASUS has made sure that they capture the attention of the Indian audience by focusing on the capability of ASUS Zenfone2, namely the unmatched quality of the PixelMaster, with the popular campaigns on various social media platforms.

Two such campaigns are the ASUS Zenfone2 India Unseen Project, wherein the best snaps from all over India, capturing the beautiful heritage of the mainland have been invited from Zenfone2 users with the tagline - Let's See The Unseen, and the ASUS Zenfone2 Night Walkers, wherein a group of over 150 Mumbai Instagrammers gathered to see what others can't see with the incredible ASUS Zenfone2.

I am mighty impressed with ASUS as a brand, and with their interesting social media marketing campaigns. :)

My Hair Love Nioxin!

I have had the privilege of being invited by BlogAdda to try the Nioxin experience first-hand, as a part of the #NioxinNowInIndia activity.

Amy, Nikhil and Gaurav, on behalf of Nioxin and Ankita, from BlogAdda, made for gracious hosts at the Wella Salon, Select Citywalk, Saket.

If you haven't already, you could read about and see how my tresses were revamped by Nioxin, in May, here. 

I hadn't told you before, but I had Nioxin's customized kit, with me, to try out, over a period of twenty days. And, I am blogging about that experience, today.

The experts at Nioxin India firmly believe that the hair are an extension of the scalp and that nourishment for the scalp provides nourishment to the hair.

Nioxin approaches the backbone formulations of its products by piecing together the jigsaw of the factors which contribute to hair thinning, namely Derma, Density and Diameter and then developing feasible and effective solutions which would nourish the scalp. 

Three essential therapies work in coordination to prevent further loss of hair strands so that, in the long run, the hair enjoy good health. 

• Derma Renew, or the  dermabrasion, in-salon approach, which is an exclusive procedure provided at the salon itself. 
• Density Protect, which conditions and protects the scalp to reduce hair loss due to breakage. 
• Density Repair, which focuses on each hair strand. 

Nioxin's products are not like your over-the-counter, go-to-the-chemist sort of therapies, but they have been customized according to an individual's specific needs. 

The folks at Nioxin have developed a range of kits, numbered from 1 to 6. 

Kit 1 for fine, natural, normal to thin-looking hair.

Kit 2 for fine, natural, noticeably thinning hair.

Kit 3 for fine, chemically treated, normal to thin-looking hair.

Kit 4 for fine, chemically enhanced, noticeably thinning hair.

Kit 5 for medium to coarse, natural, normal to thin-looking hair.

Kit 6 for medium to coarse, natural, noticeably thinning hair. 

Mine was 5, as I had normal to thin-looking, medium textured, and natural hair. 

The kit contained the following products: 

• Nioxin Cleanser, which refreshes the hair and scalp, in the beginning. Cleansing the scalp rids it of any obstacles to obtaining thicker, fuller hair. Thanks to its fruit extracts such peppermint and white tea, the cleanser leaves a lingering, refreshing, cool mint fragrance. 
• Nioxin Scalp Revitaliser, which has been formulated to regulate moisture balance. The conditioner provided me with a smooth feel to my tresses. 
• Nioxin Scalp Treatment, which has been enriched with antioxidants and fruit extracts that refresh the scalp. It is to be sprayed after a head wash has been done and dried using a towel. 

Nioxin has lent the desirable smoothness and shine to my hair and I am satisfied with their product.

However, according to the frequency of usage, being advised to you, it can be a breeze or a hassle. 

In my case, I had been advised daily usage. Thank God for the summer vacations which made it easier to wash my tresses daily, otherwise I could not have stuck to the timely completion of this experience 

The hour-long sessions were worthwhile, after all. :) 

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You can try and experience #NioxinNowInIndia at your nearest salon. This activity is in association with BlogAdda.com.

#ComeCloser To Radiant Skin

Our skin is one of our five senses.
It is the as valuable as the other four, if not more.

It is our duty then, to ensure that we protect our skin from all such environmental factors, which possess the potential to cause damage to it. Skin-care is to be given its due while taking care to avoid any regimes which may cause side-effects.

Thus, it is very important to say a big NO, in the face, to chemicals and chemically treated products, which may cause more harm than benefit.

Whenever we talk of embracing nature, as a means of therapy, or naturopathy, I am reminded of the ancient goodness of Ayurveda.

While today, we are surrounded by a facade of pretentious products, all falsely claiming to be 'scientifically proven' to show desirable results, the truth is that nothing could be better than age-old, natural skin-care regimes and remedies, for our skin.

Whenever I think of skin-care and beauty products incorporating Ayurveda into their constitution, the first name which pops up in the mind is that of Vicco and their herbal, medicinal products incorporating turmeric, sandalwood and a host of other botanical extracts derived from plants.

Remember VICCO Turmeric Cream, which was not cosmetic, but Ayurvedic? :D

My mother had used some products offered by Vicco in the past in the mid-90s. I must admit that she was pleasantly surprised to see a re-run of their old adverts on the idiot box, as she was reminded of their jingle word-by-word.

If you were to ask me to elucidate my remedies for naturally radiant skin, I would be reminded of three key ingredients at first - water, honey, and cucumber.

If you have not guessed already, it is a three-step process:

• Drink a lot of water. 
• Mix two teaspoons of honey in lukewarm water, to be had just after waking up, and just before sleeping. 
• Place cucumber slices upon your eyes. 

Staying hydrated helps to ensure that the skin remains in the pink of its health. It helps to take care of body processes such as regenerating cells and improving circulation.
         
Honey has been proclaimed as a natural cleanser. It exfoliates the skin to endow it with a certain radiance and a glowing complexion.

As much as cucumber slices are famous for fading dark circles, and reducing the puffiness of eyes, if made to rest on the eyes for a few minutes, they can also be used to aid treatment of a sunburn, after you're done vacationing amid the sun and the sand.

These are some simple, yet naturally effective regimens that I have been following all these years. I'm sure that some of my readers might also have adopted these and many other such techniques to ensure that the glow and radiance never fade away from their skin. :)

Last, but not the least, one should never sleep with their make-up on as the harsh chemicals in these products keep seeping through the skin and harm its cells. One must always wash the face thoroughly, before calling it a day.

I am all ears to know about your skin-care secrets in the comments section!

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A #MaxFreshMove And A Celebration...

May 25, 2015.
Monday.

It was a different feeling altogether with the dreaded 'Monday Blues' for our entire family this time.
The reason being the declaration of the result of Class XII students, who had spent numerous sleepless nights, contemplating over their academic performance.

Wait. No, that stressed-out teen wasn't me. I have been through this phase already. This time, it was my first cousin's turn.
Coincidentally, it was his birthday too, that day.

She seemed to have been anxiously waiting for that bottle to finally stop spinning on the table. she chickened out on that day, on the mere thought of such important results clashing with her most important day of the year.

To me, this coincidence was not something new, as my JEE results had also been declared on the same day as my birthday. It was a day of mixed feelings this time around too.

However, since the results were announced during the first half of the day, the entire extended family woke up with traces of anxiety and inquisitiveness, as is the case with typical Indian relatives.

As it turns out, the anxiousness crossed all limits when CBSE's website refused to load owing to too much load on their server. After multiple futile attempts, my cousin and her parents decided to wait for another ten to fifteen minutes before resuming their quest to get the portal to load.

After an entire hour of the results being announced by the Board, were they actually able to access the portal and view her result. The entire family was filled with a sense of pride and a wave of congratulatory message from both, the relatives and the school teachers overwhelmed her.

We could not have been happier as my cousin herself, felt content with her results. She hoped that such a performance would establish her at the threshold of a course and college of her choice.

After the initial outburst of joy, all of us cousins planned for a family outing in the evening, as the day called for double celebration. We planned for a dinner outing, at one of our favorite restaurants of all time.

However, we were in for a bigger surprise in the form of the restaurant's owner celebrating their own wedding anniversary, where celebrities Anushka Manchanda and Allu Arjun had been called upon to make the guests groove to their tunes. It was a true star-studded evening.

Our family couldn't have been happier as the entire day had been full of pleasant coincidences and my cousin had a wide grin - from ear to ear - at the end of it all.

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I am blogging for #MaxFreshMove activity at BlogAdda.com. Are you?

#NioxinNowInIndia Revamps My Hair

All pleasant experiences usually begin with e-mails.

Why do I say this?

Being a blogger, I see many event invites making their way to my mailbox, every month.

Given my academic schedules, I am able to attend some, but I have to, with a heavy heart, decline some too.

This event was meant to be attended anyhow, I feel. :)

I am writing about one such pleasant experience, which came to me in the form of an invite from BlogAdda and Nioxin India, as they planned to celebrate the launch of #NioxinNowInIndia.

It did not take long for me to respond in the affirmative and I was in for an afternoon full of information and an unexpected revamp.

I was greeted by Amy upon my arrival at the Wella Salon. I must say that she was conversant with her हिन्दी accent as she introduced us to Nioxin's ideology afterward.

We were a group of ten bloggers, all curious about Nioxin's revolutionary regime.

After an initial exploration of the venue's setup, and a welcome tweet from BlogAdda, we took our seats.

Look at the NIOXIN Setup, not to miss their key ingredients, Nioxin Cocktails placed in elegant glasses! :)

Nikhil from Affinity Salon begun with the presentation about Nioxin and their entire product range, which believed that 'Scalp Health Creates Hair Health.' 

Nioxin follows the Three Step Skincare Approach which consists of Derma Renew, Density Repair and Density Protect.

Their three-part system kits consist of a cleanser, a revitalizer, and scalp treatment.
And, their track record has been pretty impressive in the US.
Their statistics claimed a large group of satisfied male and female clients.

They had a categorization according to hair type, decided as per three factors and rated on a scale of 1-6.

Have a look at it for yourself and do tell me of your type. There are bespoke kits according to your hair type, to suit each one's individual needs the best.

Mine was 5, as I had normal to thin-looking, medium textured, and natural hair.

After the presentation, a question-hour was held, with Amy and Nikhil tackling our queries. 

We were told to brace ourselves to experience the magic of Nioxin, first-hand with a personalized consultation by one of the experts. 

I couldn't have been happier. We were lead to our respective salon stations, turn by turn. 

My scalp was examined by Gaurav, and shown to me, with a compliment that my strands were deep rooted, and an in-salon, exclusive dermabrasion consisting of botanical extracts such as peppermint oil and white tea extract was applied to my scalp, massaged, and allowed to set for ten minutes. 

I let my hair down for the dermabrasion regime! :) 

It left a lingering cool effect, coupled with a pleasant odor. 

After the timer went tick-tick on completion of the stipulated time, I was led to the head wash area, with the application and rinsing of the cleanser and revitalizer. 

And, that is me at the head wash station. 

While the pleasantness of mint made my hair smell great, I returned to my station for the application of the scalp treatment spray, and the blow drying procedure.  

At the end of the regime, I was gifted with smooth and shiny strands, thanks to the magic weaved by Nioxin! :) 

That's me before the regime, with slight waviness, as I always plait my hair, owing to their length. 

That's me after Nioxin's magic, with silky, straight, Rapunzel hair! :) 

I bid adieu with a smile on my face, while raising a toast to Nioxin's product range! 

I have also blogged about my experience for a period of 20 days, with Nioxin, here. 

You can try and experience #NioxinNowInIndia at your nearest salon. This activity is in association with BlogAdda.com. 

MyAirtel, My Best Friend!

MyAirtel is a magical app for your smartphone, for not only taking care of your various accounts with Airtel – be it DTH, prepaid, postpaid, landline, broadband and IPTV, but for also letting you perform a number of other activities in a very impressive and innovative way. The MyAirtel app from Airtel is in fact a bundle of smart features that work in such a wonderful way that the moment you download it and start using it, you are bound to become its fan. If I have to select three key features that best fit my lifestyle, I would go for the following three:

 

1.  'I Want To'. I have become fond of this feature that acts like a genie. It is something which makes my wish come true. The versatility and flexibility that this feature provides is marvelous. I can recharge my prepaid connection's talk-time balance. I can also choose any of the options among these – buy, pay, order, recharge, view, and record. So the moment I have to pay my bill, it is just a click away. I just have to go to MyAirtel App and do it. 

Similarly if I want to view my transaction history, that is again as easy as using any of the innovative features of this app. In fact “I Want To” is a tailored feature and you can create shortcuts of your most frequently used features under it. So it is a sort of a personalized screen where you create a shortcut to your most frequented, or required features. Some might have two and others might have five features under their respective screens of the 'I Want To' feature. 

2.  Along with the 'Downloaded Services' of features bundled with the  MyAirtel app, you can add more features or services, separately provided by Airtel. The best thing is that in this way, you bring all your required Airtel services on one screen, to be used via a single app. 

So, if you want to add Airtel Live in your MyAirtel App, it is quite easy to do so. The same goes for other services from Airtel that are not bundled in this app. You can add One Touch Internet from Airtel here if you require to use it regularly. It is not that you cannot remove any unwanted Airtel Service at a later stage once you have added it. Removing a service is as simple and quick as adding a service. 

3.  The user interface and usability is designed in such an innovative manner that it gives you a touch of perfection and complete satisfaction. In any application design, especially for mobile apps, the quality of the user interface is as important as the stability in code. 

If the code is managing the show from behind the screen, it is the user interface that, if designed well, keeps end-users hooked to the app. That is what is quite a strong feature in MyAirtel app. 

I like my new best friend, MyAirtel very much. 

Would you like to befriend it too? :)

#EkNayiLeague And Kapil Dev

When the masters of the trade decide to create something, it is obviously going to be a masterpiece. Who can forget the well-crafted batting by Kapil Dev in the semifinals of World Cup 1983? His full name is Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj. Born on 6th January 1959 in Chandigarh, this Arjun award winner cricket legend from India is a great asset to the country. He demonstrated how a strong willpower can turn the tables around and win over any kind of situation.

Kapil Dev held the record of taking the most wickets for a long time in both the formats – tests and one-day internationals. He holds a unique record of scoring more than five thousand runs and taking more than four hundred wickets. That is an unbeaten all-rounder record held so far.

Kapil Dev is one of the greatest fast bowler India ever had and a superb all-rounder. He was the captain when India clinched its first Cricket World Cup in 1983. He has been the coach of the Indian cricket team for the tenure, October 1999 – August 2000. The right-arm pacer is about to launch a new league, #EkNayiLeague and the guesses are doing the rounds as to what it could be.

On Twitter, soon after joining in the last week of April, Kapil Dev started hinting about the new league through his tweets. The hints were that Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Vierndra Sehwag, all cricketers and Kapil Sharma, the ace comedian would be the part of the league.

The launch of the league is scheduled today in Mumbai and the sides being taken, are about a reality quiz show, a virtual betting show, a trading show or a virtual cricket game show. Well, it could be a show, or it could also be part of an online portal.

Whatever it is going to be, which will be known in few hours, it is going to be quite interesting and fun-filled. There would be enough of seam bowling, out-swingers, in-swingers, pacers, and yorkers from Kapil Dev’s side. On the batting front, Kapil Dev has been very effective hooker, puller and could also drive strongly to make the ball cross the boundary either for a four or a six.

So let us wait and watch what bounces to us from within the Pandora box of this Haryana Hurricane for us.

After retiring in 1994 from Indian Cricket, Kapil Dev started his venture in hotels. He also is an expert commentator during international matches. Kapil Dev’s love for golf is a well-known phenomenon.

He is respected as a good player in golf too, though that is his personal passion, not something where he would like to compete with others in related championships. But one thing is for sure. The new league that Kapil Dev is about to start is going to be power packed melodrama.

#CelebrateLife In Your Own Way, Living By Your Own Terms...

There have been episodes when a moment becomes bigger than an occasion and there have been episodes when an occasion has no need of anything other than what it is in itself. An occasion is actually nothing but an accessory for beautifying our lives. Good occasions in life make it more beautiful and enchanting. Our happiness scores higher with the good moments that we witness in life. That is the secret of accumulating those precious, timeless moments spread all over the timeline, over our lifetime, so as to #CelebrateLife.

Everyone has their own unique ways of celebrating some of the special moments in life. Some prefer to spend time partying whereas some like to be at ease with themselves. Some spend a lot of time in solemnity whereas others prefer to live it out like a free spirit. If I try to pinpoint my trait among a plethora of so many possibilities, I always find myself facing the fork in the road. Actually, I am a moody person. So, it is always my heart that tells me in advance whether I feel like being a part of an upcoming occasion or not. I prefer to celebrate the smallest of the moments of my life and pronouncing their grandness in their own way rather than waiting for the grand moments to celebrate.

Life, in a way, deserves to always be celebrated. Respecting every moment of life and giving it a requisite amount of honor itself says a lot. If you are not happy, you can never expect others around you to be happy. Happiness is as contagious as sadness. If you are sad, others around you will seem sad as well, and if you are happy, you are able to spread happiness around without making any efforts. That happens on its own.

Another way to find happiness is to strike a deal with yourself that you will never let anybody around you feel sad, at any cost. If that is the mission, then your goal becomes bigger than your own instances or moments. That mission compels you to make the most of every moment around you, to be as lively and graceful as possible so that you don’t see even an iota of sadness on any face around you.

I have always been able to enjoy every moment I have spent whether with my family at home, or with my friends at school or college. That, I believe is the secret of my motivation to #CelebrateLife.

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#CelebrateLifeAtIvy by owning a dream home at Ivy Estate, an 85-acre estate with 34 acres of greenery and open spaces. Join the 1600 happy families already living here. Check out this walkthrough video and decide for yourself.

#CrashthePepsiIPL: Pepsi Saved the Game Quite Intelligently

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This ad “Pepsi Saved The Game” in the Crash the Pepsi IPL gallery is quite intelligently created. Whilst proclaiming  Pepsi as the hero of the game, it not only saves the game of cricket but also brings in the smiles and happiness back on the faces of young players aspiring to play cricket. In the advert, the guys plan to play cricket and thus have all gathered in the park. They have all the gaming equipment like bat, ball, pads etc. except the stumps.

Now, everyone of us knows that in the absence of stumps it will be impossible to play cricket, even if you are planning to play in a street or in a park. Even the kids playing cricket need to have stumps though they might not use all the accessories of the game. Logically, stumps are one of the basic requirements for playing cricket and cannot be counted as the accessories. The same happens in the ad too when all the guys are worried and finally plan to call it off as they would not be able to play cricket in the absence of stumps. All their plans to gather in the park and play cricket together go haywire.

Then come the moments of the climax, when one of them opens a bottle of Pepsi and takes a sip. The moment the first sip of Pepsi is gulped down, a bright and brilliant idea pops into the mind of the girl. The next moment you see stumps put up there, in place. Each stump towers up with the help of three Pepsi bottles. The stumps look more than professional and natural, well in place and the game starts well.

On second thoughts, there is a deeper message associated with the video. We do encounter moments in life when all of a sudden, a plan goes haywire due to some shortcoming or the other. That is the moment to contain yourself and rely on determination. That is the only moment when you can either carry on with a fight to chalk out a solution or to be depressed and turn towards a dead-end of the road. That is the moment when a sip of Pepsi can do miracles in your life by bringing in a light at the end of the tunnel, at the right time. That is the moment which gives you a brighter idea to get to the solution and escape the turmoil.

For that sake, this ad conveys a lot to all of us. It gives us a lesson of life.



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Check out the #CrashThePepsiIPL videos & participate in the activity at BlogAdda.

Of Beauty And Elegance, With Kose And IndiBlogger!

Last week, I had the good fortune of attended the recently concluded #KoseMeet at Hyatt Regency organized by Kose, a pioneer in cosmetics, of Japanese origin and home to Indian Bloggers, IndiBlogger. The IndiBlogger Team extended a warm invite to all lady bloggers in Delhi and almost till the D-day it was appearing to be an all-women meet.

It was just a couple of days before the event when few male bloggers' profile were being shown in the invitee list at IndiBlogger. The event started at 1730 hours in the evening and concluded at around 2130 on 10th of this month. There was a huge gathering of bloggers joined by a small group of retailers. After all it was an important event for all those who were even remotely to cosmetics, beauty and makeup, fashion or lifestyle in one way or the other.

With a plan of investment of over 40 crore for the Indian market, most of which would be spent in marketing and branding activities, Kose has launched their Spawake range of products in a big way. There is a tie-up with an Indian cosmetic company to manufacture the product in India so that the price competition is taken care of well.

The event started with registration and tea and soon after the ball was in IndiBlogger's court to initiate the introductory sessions. First, we were acquainted with newbies and first-timers followed by an exercise for each blogger to meet as many fellow bloggers and get acquainted, while procuring one personal possession of theirs. It was a fun and interactive session.

Kose Corporation India has set foot in India, with their first product range Spawake. It was formally announced by Takashi Nomura, the Director and CEO, India.

Bollywood diva Aditi Rao Hydari has been chosen as the brand ambassador for launch of Spawake in India. The moment she came on stage, it was quite exciting and then the product range was unveiled and the print adverts launched formally. Aditi shared her experience for the time while she was busy with their advertising team and how she had become a die-hard fan of Spawake products.

A Spawake face cream as a sample was provided for, at each bloggers' table for us to feel and admire its texture. It was quite marvelous. After the product launch, there were a series of group photographs being clicked with Aditi following a breathtaking dance performance.

The event was drawn to a close with the buffet spread being declared open. An exquisite Spawake hamper boasting of a choicest collection of their creations was waiting for us, to be handed over before we left the venue after witnessing this exclusive product launch.