What Mauritius Needs

Aamir Khan has started a new campaign called 'Atithi Devo Bhava' in the wake of the promulgation of a new law by the Modi government in favour of protecting foreigners visiting the country. As a foreigner myself in this land I do second the truth in the swelling number of cheaters among taxi drivers, rickshaw wales, vendors, coolies and guides. They can all so nonchalantly fool you. I remember how this morning itself, among the perpetual flow of rickshaws brushing against you whilst you walk, some tuck their heads out to wish you good morning and them try to initiate a conversation with you in varied languages in a bid to woo you to drive with them. Some even go to the point of over hearing your conversations and then screaming out that we are going in the wrong direction or the place we are headed to is closed, when it's not true. They clearly want to take you in the opposite direction to places where they are going to get commission from.

Delhi, India, is a giant city that contains an overwhelming amount of history, culture, life, food, temples, and everything else you could possibly imagine. In Delhi I was shorthanded change after paying for a number of different attractions. I know officials occasionally do this on purpose, because at Qutub Minar I counted my change, was 100 Rupees short, so I turned back to the counter, and he immediately gave me 100 Rupees without saying anything… he knew all along, but was hoping I didn’t count. Count your change, and demand that you are given the correct amount. Being shorthanded in change is very exaggerated in India and that too with the vendors claiming having no change whilst its clearly the contrary. As a means to apparently compensate for the 25 to 70 rupaiyaa they can't return you, they give you 3 or 4 sweets ( not mithaii but literally tiny little sugar candies! ) Moreover, they can clearly steal away your money when you ask them to return your money b...

I don't like Manali at all. It's just not my type of weather. I'm the sunny type of person, warm, cuddly and fuzzy. Over here, everything is cold and... Cold. People keep to themselves. Arms crossed on the chest. Everything's alien to me. Chinese-looking people speaking Hindi: Tibetans. Reddened cheeks of the folks due to a lack of oxygen and hence high concentration of haemoglobin. Cute wooden chalets with the walls made of clean dry grey rounded polished stones or galets. Everything nestled amidst dark moist brown long pine trees with the green snow laden canopy shading the fuming chimneys. Fumes from everywhere. The little cups of chai, the matkas filled with hot milk and the people engaging in the very restricted conversations. I always thought that it was an exciting idea to talk and have vapour coming out of the buccal cavity. But it's not. It definitely is not when you feel your vocal chords paralysed with the murderous ch...

Right so, we just came back from Rajmandir Cinema where we watched PK! [19/12/2014 22:01] Rhea: Raj Mandir is this world famous cinema hall in Jaipur. The interior designing is indeed grandiose with the ceiling made in a wave like fashion depicting the soft breezes of the sea. Hmm where should I start? Let's keep the movie review for later. Let me first tell you why I enjoyed the shoe even the my critical reception of the film was not that great. I think Raj Kumar Hirani could have delivered a far better job especially after 3 idiots. Watching a movie in India is a damn different and vibrantly enjoyable experience. And the PK show proved to be a great display of just that! I mean biddo! This is what I call a responsive audience, unlike my mom's perpetual neutrality. I'm sure that Bollywood movies have educated us of how Indians dance when item numbers come or how they whistle and clap loudly. But being there, amidst of the excitement ...

After Fatehpur Sikri and Vrindavan yesterday I felt like India is a nation of niggards and swindlers. And the way their tipping system works over here is perhaps one of the things that turn tourists off. While reading Half Girlfriend I came to know that in New York city tipping is compulsory and is fixed at 20% of the service consumed and in India despite the tipping being a voluntary choice you pretty much feel obliged to cave into giving a sum of money. Mostly because they give you the little puppy eyes, the little nudges and the overbearing hovering around even after having assisted us. Some dare to go up to: "Kuch deghe nahin Saab?" They embarrass you. A lot. At times, it doesn't seem necessary to give them something but they behave in a way to oblige you. 'Watch your steps Madam, Careful Madam?, Anything Else Saab? Sure? Sure?' The little kids outside the monuments can be a little overbearing as well as the vendors. It demands loads of pa...

Independence often means unilateral decisions. But the sad thing is that no decision one takes is only about one person. #Half Girlfriend Hmmpph At Rathambore for the tiger sightseeing right now, tired. It was a long journey driving through the yellow mustard fields with so many black and white pigs crossing the road! I'm still drowned in the world of Madhav and Riya and their 'love story'.. I relate a lot to Riya- a lot. The escapist attitude, the I'm-not-sure-about-a-relationship behaviour, the sarcasm and principally the keeping-things-from people, not opening up easily and having trust issues. For most of the part all I saw was glimpses of my whole teenage evolution in her. My closest friend know that however jumpy, eccentric and grinnish I can be, I am the same distant, closed into herself girl I am to the acquaintances or strangers. Initially, this whole half-girlfriend phenomenon was something I thought I was the only suffering from. But the...

#Thought of the day #Vrindavan Even if the place is dirty, if the people are nice, then everything is nice. -And Vrindavan, a supposedly highly religious place is so not well maintained for the amount of praises it receives. And for dwelling supposedly religious people, Vrindavan homes a lot of business-minded people who have made of God a donation-reaping factory. To be honest, Vrindavan was a huge disappointment. I know I'm personally highly opinionated when it comes to religion but for once I tried to be receptive and played along. Of course the architecture was sort of worth it. But errmm I even decided to go by the saying, in Rome be a Roman. So I was, the person who has stopped folding hands in front of stone or gold statues since 6 years now, the person who doesn't really chant or venerate.. Doing the exact opposite in that village. I admit that this past year I have started to believe in Religion ( not the manipulated one: religion)...

Yea, so as you know, I'm a huge music listener, especially Bhangra and Punjabi songs. And trust me, India is beyond a musical country. Ek vilain's album is very much in vogue over here. At night you sleep over blasting street music. Yesterday it was Lungi Dance till we dozed off with the background enlaced with constant honking and screaming. Lmao Right now on Delhi FM A parody of Pani Rand De is playing and My God! It goes as: Sardi ka Dang dekh ke, moti waale jacket dhal gaye.. Parodies are so rampant everywhere!! :D :D :D About the tea, Chai sold everywhere, it's savoured with elaiti. Oh god- I saw it, finally! Mutra Visarjan on the streets! Men were on facing the fence of the major road and attending to nature's call to place it politely. There barely are women. I saw a documentary whereby it is very taboo when it comes to women. Of course it will be, menstruation is not seen in a good eye either in the streets- it is considered as an illness. ...

Fellow readers, my warmest Namaste! I'm currently in New Delhi and I just wanted to share with you random thoughts. I'm not exactly being able to write a proper article, so I wrote things to my cousin which I'll share with you. There are some life hacks included and I wish I could upload some photos. Hopefully I will be able to. Have a great day. All my love ! :* -------------------- Hello Hesh! So basically I'm going to be using our WhatApps to enter articles for Our Alter Ego. Hope you don't mind. ☺ So, we are driving in Connaught Place, Delhi: the very heart of the Capital City. It's amazing. You would find pigeons everywhere right now flying towards the perpetually grey sky.  Yes- the sky's never really grey and well everyday looks like everyday! People are bathing with their lungis on the street! Half naked. So we just insisted we have a typical ride on the tuk tuks in the streets of Meena Bazaar, Chaandi Chowk and Chowdi Bazaar! ...

Hello people, I conducted  this  survey 2 months ago. Do have a look if you are interested. ;) I am now sharing some of the responses! :) I was pretty amazed by them all! The survey basically constituted of a series of question pertaining to the Teenager-Parents-Family link. Well, someone once said that children grow to becoming the best judges of parents.  If you are a parent and are trying to strike a better way of 'taming' your teen, have a look at the responses below. :) If you could change 3 things about your parents what would they be and why? 1.       I'm not sure. 2.       Their habit of going back on their words back biting of people misunderstanding some situations. 3.       Nothing, I like them as they are. 4.       Nothing. I love them as they are. 5.       I don't want to change anything about them. ...