Sunday, 9 March 2025

Boho Strokes: Art That Heals

 Art has been a part of my soul since childhood. I have always loved drawing, painting, and playing with colors, but I never knew that one day, it would become my sanctuary. Even now, with the rush of a full-time job, I may not get as much time as I wish, but whenever I do, I find myself reaching for my paintbrush—like a musician reaching for their instrument, eager to play a melody that soothes the soul.

I have danced through different styles—floral patterns, geometric designs—but the one that truly calls to me is boho art. There’s something magical about its free-spirited strokes, the gentle embrace of pastel hues, and the way it whispers a sense of calm. It feels like poetry painted on canvas, where every color sings a note of relaxation, and every stroke hums a tune of comfort.

Recently, I have started exploring textured art, and combining it with boho elements has been an enchanting experience. The rough, raw textures merging with soft, dreamy patterns create an artwork that feels both untamed and harmonious—like a song carried by the wind. The depth, the layers, the imperfections—each adds a rhythm that makes the painting feel alive.

No matter how tired, overwhelmed, or lost I feel, the moment I dip my brush into color, the world slows down. Every stroke takes away the weight of the day, like the first notes of a melody that instantly calms the heart. It is music without sound, a rhythm that beats in my soul.

Even with time slipping through my fingers, I know I will always return to my art. Because some passions are not just hobbies; they are echoes of who we truly are.






Saturday, 8 March 2025

Ehsaas & Strokes 🀎

 This past year has been a whirlwind of creativity, self-doubt, and unexpected moments of joy. I started off experimenting with small things—painting a little, trying my hand at handmade earrings, and running a food channel just for fun. But somewhere along the way, these ‘little things’ became a big part of me. I found myself looking forward to picking up my paintbrush after a long workday, getting lost in the tiny details of my jewelry designs, or experimenting with flavors in my kitchen.

Balancing all of this with my full-time job hasn’t been easy. There have been days when I’ve felt stretched too thin, questioning whether I’m taking on too much. But every time I sit down to create something, I feel a sense of peace—like I’m doing exactly what I’m meant to do. I’ve learned to embrace the chaos, to be patient with myself, and to trust that every small step counts.

As I reflect on this journey, I realize that it’s not just about what I create but about how it makes me feel. These creative pursuits are not just hobbies; they are a way for me to express myself, to connect with others, and to bring a little beauty into the world. And if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that I’m not stopping anytime soon.

Workdaytowonders 🀎



Friday, 20 September 2024

Conquering Fear in the Water 🏊

 Today, I felt amazing.πŸ’“For the past few days, I've been practicing swimming. I've wanted to learn and master this life-saving skill for a long time. It's a lifelong ability that's always useful. I find it fascinating to watch people swim effortlessly because, while it looks easy, it actually requires a lot of strength and stamina. This strength makes them appear as though they are simply floating on water. I want to feel like a mermaid, as my partner says. 🧿

Yesterday, I was struggling with the technique, which requires coordination between your hands, legs, and breathing. Everything needs to be in balance. If even a single stroke or breath is missed, you can lose coordination and balance, which might cause you to start sinking. After completing a round with hand support, my trainer insisted I try without it, but I wasn’t sure how to maintain balance if I lost my breath. I took a deep breath and started swimming. Initially, I was fine, but since I wasn’t breathing continuously, I became exhausted and lost my balance, starting to sink. Thankfully, I was near the edge and grabbed it, feeling completely frightened. After taking breaks in between rounds, I didn’t feel ready to go again without support, so I got out of the pool, having lost my confidence.

This morning, out of fear, I refused to go back to the pool, but my partner encouraged me, saying all I needed was a little faith. He told me to push my hands downward to push the water below my waist and try dog paddling. With a heavy heart and full of fear, I went back. I started with hand support and completed four rounds. After that, I knew the trainer would ask me to go without support, and sure enough, he did. Without overthinking, I took a deep breath and started swimming. It went well for a few strokes, but then I lost my balance again while breathing. It might have looked clumsy, but I had to maintain control because I was in the middle of the pool. As soon as I lost balance, I started dog paddling and realized I wasn’t sinking this time! I was surprised that, without being taught, I managed to stay afloat in the middle of the pool. I took a few breaths and started swimming again.πŸ’ͺ

I repeated this two or three more times and felt happy, knowing I wouldn’t drown and could save myself. I’m confident that one day, I will master this beautiful, life-saving skill. I'll succeed with flying colors and, finally, feel like a mermaid. Sometimes, even the smallest steps make us feel like we’ve done something amazing. That’s how we overcome our fears—the fear of failure, of losing balance, and of sinking. It’s always the little techniques that work and save us, just like a Mermaid. 🐬


 

Wednesday, 11 September 2024

Trending & Viral

 These days, a viral clip shows a child dancing to an inappropriate item number. It reminds me of my childhood when I performed on songs that had nothing to do with the events, simply because of the fast beats and catchy music. Many other children did the same, picking songs based on personal preference without understanding their relevance or appropriateness. Back then, no one corrected us or explained why certain songs weren’t suitable for school performances.

In today’s fast-paced world, where every child has easy access to smartphones and the internet, it's crucial for parents and schools to guide them on why certain content is not meant for children. Ignoring their questions isn't enough – curiosity needs to be addressed properly. Otherwise, children will turn to social media for answers, where they may encounter incomplete or false information.πŸ‘€



Friday, 20 October 2023

Navratri: Festival of colours 🌈

While we, Indians, specifically those in North India, are celebrating Navratri, I would like to talk about the color symbolism associated with this beautiful festival. I have always encountered many instances where people are inclined towards specific colors, or perhaps certain colors have more dominance over others during auspicious occasions. I was curious to know the reason behind the revelation of these colors during festivals because people often fail to recognize the significance of all the wonderful colors around us.

We do offer prayers to deities (goddesses/gods) that symbolize various emotions such as strength, courage, love, affection, care, power, and peace. But do we know that these emotions attribute to different colors? Why do we have so many shades or colors around us when we feel that only a few of them are important? We often associate red as the symbol of love and belongingness, which is true, but have we ever thought that red also signifies strength, anger, power, and strong emotions? Not only red, but vibrant colors like orange and yellow also have emotive attributes. Even the colors we do not praise for auspicious days have immense meaningful qualities that are worthy of acknowledgment.

Today, as I was praying and decorating my little mandir with flowers for Navratri, I realized the significance of wearing different colors for each day of the festival. For instance, today is Sashti, so green is the color of the day, associated with Goddess Katyayani. It represents balance, harmony, and progress in life. I was amazed to learn the reason behind wearing green on Sashti. It's fascinating that nature itself teaches us how to balance life, and it does so through colors.

So, I became curious to know more about other colors as well, and here's what I found! Blue, grey, purple, white, and peacock green—colors we often overlook as auspicious—are actually deeply meaningful and are favorite colors and attributes of the goddesses we worship. Blue is the favorite color of Khushmunda goddess, representing wealth and fortune. Grey is the favorite color of Kalaratri goddess, symbolizing knowledge, strength, and resilience. Purple is the favorite color of Mahagauri Goddess, representing purity, peace, and divinity.

Why are we hesitant to wear purple, blue, grey, or any other colors when all these colors are favored by 9 forms of Goddess Durga? I believe, just as we celebrate Gods/Goddesses and their powers, we must contemplate the reasons behind these celebrations. It's not just about a simple color; it's the meaning embodied within it.

Happy Navratri! 

                                


Tuesday, 10 October 2023

Breaking stereotype!

 While I was talking to my husband about the leaves I needed for my brother-in-law's child, a thought suddenly struck me. We were discussing the ritual where a woman visits her maternal home (maika) for her first delivery. I found this ritual a bit strange and overly dramatized. I was curious to know the facts behind this tradition, so I searched for information. However, I did not find any concrete evidence explaining why this has been practiced for years. After all my research, what I found were stories of women sharing their experiences. I read accounts where women talked about how their families pressured them to have their first baby at their maika, despite challenges like distant hospitals, lack of medical support, concerns about who would bear the newborn's expenses, and more.

We are all aware that during pregnancy, a woman undergoes significant changes, both physically and mentally. Morning sickness, changes in appetite, stress, mood swings, and more become part of her daily life. Considering these bodily changes, our first instinct is to ensure the utmost comfort for the woman. The immediate thought that comes to mind is sending her to her maternal home, or "bahu ka maika," rather than her in-laws' place. But why can't it be the other way around? If we examine the timeline, in ancient times, people used to get married at a very young age and conceive early. All of this happened during the early stages of marriage when the girl was not comfortable and felt too shy to demand or ask for anything essential during pregnancy.

To overcome this hesitation and ensure the well-being of the baby, people chose to send their daughters-in-law to their maternal homes (maika). Now, this practice has become a tradition in our Indian culture. Despite advancements in society, changes in marriage patterns, and planned pregnancies, this tradition continues unquestioned. People are educated now, yet they do not question blindly followed traditions. Indeed, in Indian culture, traditions have deep-rooted meanings and logical causes. Over time, these traditions have been molded to suit contemporary needs, and the original meanings are often forgotten.

There is no inherent problem in sending a woman to her maternal home for delivery, unless it is mandatory. However, I wonder why a woman, who is taught to feel comfortable in her in-laws' place and is told that it is her home, does not feel comfortable giving birth to her first child there. I believe this is the perfect time for husbands and in-laws to connect with the new member of the family – the daughter-in-law. If the in-laws permit the child's birth in their home, it could create a stronger bond between the daughter-in-law and the family. This is the time when the husband can experience motherhood up close. Sending a girl to her maternal home might be a solution to many difficulties, but supporting her during her challenging times, understanding her mood swings, witnessing her glow, and embracing the arrival of a new life into the world can be an incredible experience, sometimes lacking in the in-laws' approach.

Perhaps this is just an opinion, but I strongly feel that the family is the first place where a person should feel the most comfortable. There should be no room for hesitation, and after marriage, if the in-laws' house is considered her home, then during her difficult times, the definition of home should not change.

                                  

Breaking stereotype!

Monday, 25 September 2023

The frightening evening!

 The frightening evening!

It was not the first time that something had gone wrong in our kitchen in just a few months. Ever since we decided to move to our new house, everything had settled down slowly and gradually, but the only problem we were facing was our kitchen. Both of us were trying so hard and had tried everything we could to sort out the kitchen issue. We experimented with basic stoves, glass triple stoves, and steel base stoves, but each time, there was a major concern that put us in trouble. Last night, we faced a near-death experience but came out safely.

So, the question is, how do I narrate the incident from last evening? It can't be more accurate and justified than thinking that there is some issue with the house's kitchen. Let me try my best to put my scary and terrifying story into words.

So, yesterday, we both decided to paint the walls and infuse some new, warm, and positive energy into our house. We began the task and created a nice video clip out of it. We enjoyed the entire process, completing both walls little by little. Afterward, our home looked amazingly lively. We were both happy and exhausted. We decided to have some dal and rice for dinner and then get some sleep. I also planned to edit and post the video of our first time painting the wall. As we started preparing our dinner, we chatted about our day, and the rice was ready. I asked my partner to chop the onions for the dal's tadka. We were both standing diagonally across from the stove, when suddenly, a loud, scary noise burst into our ears. It was so loud and shocking that we couldn't immediately grasp what had happened. It was a blast caused by the pressure cooker. We were in shock. Within seconds, everything in the kitchen was splattered with dal, and the pressure cooker lay shattered into pieces. I was momentarily lost; everything appeared blurred and white as the glasses were covered in steam. I was overwhelmed by fear, not knowing what had happened to us and where my partner was. I screamed like a child and started crying uncontrollably. That sudden, overwhelming fear filled my heart with dread, a feeling that I can still sense even now. My partner hugged me, and I felt relief knowing he was with me. I continued crying out of sheer fear. The thought of losing someone is the worst feeling imaginable. I felt like I was torn into pieces and clung to him like a small child. I was completely distraught, and my legs were trembling. Within a few minutes, everything changed.

The first thought that crossed my mind was that we were safe. The blast had been so powerful that the ceiling had cracks. What if any of the pieces had touched us? The thought shook me profoundly. My partner cleaned the kitchen, sat me down on the balcony to calm me, but I was still shaken. He did his best to make me comfortable, but my mind was filled with a strange feeling. I felt as though something was there, something we couldn't feel but was telling us to leave because no home is complete without a kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of any home. We offer prayers to the kitchen and stove when we enter a new home, and ever since we moved here, we couldn't settle with our kitchen.

I don't know if any negative energy is at play, although we regularly perform pooja, and that might be the reason we escaped serious injury from the blast. I'm trying to clear my mind of this thought. I hope there's nothing negative, just a coincidence and our belief. We've never felt any negative energy in the house, and we've always aimed to make this house more beautiful, but somehow, something feels unsettling and bothersome. If some negative force is silently working, I wish to find a new abode because my abode is my partner, not a house made of walls. We have the potential to turn any house into our home. I am manifesting a beautiful home filled with the best positive energies. We hope to make our journey more beautiful and wish the same for everyone. Sending love and requesting blessings from all.


God is with us! 
 


Tuesday, 5 September 2023

BalconyπŸͺ΄

 Whenever my partner thinks about a house, he always admires and prefers the topmost floor. Maybe for both of us, the word 'home' gives a different perspective, but the essence is the same.

 So, when we were discussing having a home, he insisted on having the topmost floor, while I insisted on having all the amenities and a spacious yet manageable home. Anyway, destiny knows how to give the best shot. After so much hustle, when we were on our toes, and the moment we saw the balcony of this house, we looked at each other and immediately said yes! 

The best part of the house is the balcony. We both love balconies, open spaces where we can enjoy our morning and evening tea. He loves the sunset, and I love the sunrise. This balcony offers both. I do have complaints sometimes, like because it's the topmost floor, the water pressure is slow, and it takes a lot to walk down the stairs if the lift is not working, and many more issues. But whenever I sit on our balcony and feel the amazing breeze, all these small issues get blur, and everything seems so calm and blissful.

                  

Enjoying pakodas in Rain!

Chai: An unsaid love language


 Somehow, I started loving tea. I would call it Chai!  Coming from an Indian household where tea is a language, it turns every morning and evening into an unspoken conversation. I can enjoy tea alone, but I cherish sharing it with my partner. It's indeed my language of calmness. A morning without tea cannot happen; it's truly an emotion. No matter where I am, if it's missing, the whole day becomes hectic. I often wonder how the mixture of milk, water, tea leaves, and ginger creates a complete dose of permanent happiness for thousands of people all over the world. Isn't it amazing?

In India, offering tea is a gesture of showing respect to someone, regardless of their age. It also holds a special place for endless discussions. Tea has the power to create and hold onto memories. Memories take me back to the days when my partner and I used to plan our first tea date, and it happened beautifully! So, in a nutshell, I feel that maybe tea is just a beverage, but for many, it's an unspoken, quiet, calm, and beautiful feeling that inspires me to taste all types of tea from around the world. I am MANIFESTING this! 

Let's hope and manifest together!

                   

Our first Chai! ❤️🧿


Wednesday, 12 July 2023

New Phase of Life❤️🧿

 I never believed that life could be this different. Recently, I got married to the love of my life. For us, there is no such or much difference; only our family accepts us with an open heart, now with confidence. Since childhood, like any other girl, I always used to think about how things would be different after marriage or if it would be difficult.

Well, talking about marriage, just opposite to my husband, I always used to think about its beautiful rituals, all those preparations, that special pampering from family, all those pre-marriage arrangements, and a lot more. I always wanted a wedding in the mountains, maybe in the valley, in an open courtyard, feeling the fresh air, with fewer people, wearing a beautiful lightweight maroon saree, and my groom in a handsome cream and pista-colored kurta with a turban on his head. No noise, just the two of us on our beautiful wedding day!

That exact scenario did not happen for many reasons, but I am not feeling regret about those misses. I am happy, even though my dream wasn't realized in that particular way. It's more important to have an amazing partner because if the person is right, instead of having butterflies or excitement, you will feel peace, satisfaction, focus, and stability in life.

Before I share something more about my life, let me share a short story with all of you. My husband and I were in the same company. We crossed paths so many times, never knowing that destiny had its own way of making us feel love for each other. I used to see him from a distance and think how weird he was. His rough look always made me curious to look at him, even if I found him rude. That strange attraction was different, and I cannot put it into words. Now that we are together for a lifetime, he shared that he also used to look at me and wanted to talk, but I never made efforts to interact. 

Now, I become angry when he pays less attention to me. His attention means everything to me. I often get angry as well, but at the end of the day, we need each other. 

We used to make plans about what we would do after marriage or once we start living together. However, it's not happening that way. But I feel life is not about planning too much. We cannot plan everything, neither happiness nor sadness. It's about how we learn to tackle those situations. Right now, I am feeling a mix of emotions, but maybe with the coming days, we will start doing what we wish for. 

"Let me quickly check my schedule and find some happiness, even if something is not okay. Let me consciously feel happiness, which can eventually make things work." ~ Asha

                   



Friday, 19 May 2023

A Regular Day!πŸ’

 Isn't having regular days awesome? We often fail to appreciate the amazing feeling of a regular day. With our fast-paced lives, we stop valuing the routine tasks that sustain us. Starting from the morning, we prepare breakfast with great speed, always striving for deliciousness even in simplicity. We then schedule our day, attend to office work, and prepare lunch. We take breaks for snacks and self-care, enjoying some series, movies, documentaries, or reading. In the evening, we sit on the balcony, savoring a cup of tea. By accomplishing all these activities within 24 hours, I feel fulfilled. This feeling occurs frequently because I enjoy the satisfaction of completing each task, no matter how simple. So, I encourage you to appreciate the regular work you do, as it provides a consistent dose of motivation we all need in the cycle of life.




Boho Strokes: Art That Heals

  Art has been a part of my soul since childhood. I have always loved drawing, painting, and playing with colors, but I never knew that one ...