Top 10 posts of Love, Laugh and Reflect in 2015!

This year has been a very beautiful year in terms of blogging and writing. Although juggling 2 blogs Love, Laugh and Reflect and Purba's Library becomes a bit tedious at times, I have tried my level best to do so. I made so many wonderful friends this year through blogging and learned a lot. I also attended my first Blogger's meet and won a handful of blogging contests this year. Overall, it's been a very rewarding year.

So today when it's just a few hours from stepping into the new year, I thought to pause a bit, rewind back and cherish my favorite 10 posts of Love, Laugh and Reflect. 

1. A stranger's love letter! ~ Fiction

A short story that I wrote in February, 2015. I thought a few times to write the second part, but ultimately discarded the idea.

Natasha buys a second-hand book "Love Poems by Pablo Neruda" to pass the time in a train journey. As she turns the pages of the book, a letter escapes from between. The letter starts with the words "My Natasha"

2. Soulmates and Twinflames ~ Non-Fiction

This is another post that I wrote in February, 2015 and it is one of the most popular and widely read posts of this blog.

I have expressed my own understanding of the term "soul mates" and "twin flames" in this post. According to me, I am a soul with a body. I am a spiritual being having a human existence. Whenever I feel a strong connection with someone, I understand that this person is my soul companion, someone who was with me in another lifetime. 

3. Dad, are you afraid of the dark? ~ Fiction

This is a short story that I wrote in April, 2015. 

A blind girl asks her father if he is afraid of darkness. When her father explains her what darkness is, she exclaims that she knows the difference between light and darkness, despite being blind. 

“Darkness is fear. Darkness is anger. Darkness is jealousy. Darkness is hatred. Indeed, darkness cripples us and makes us helpless.

Light is love. Light is kindness. Light is peace. Light is friendship. Light soothes us and gives us assurance.” Mishti said with a peaceful smile.

4. Memories and Stories of my Mother ~ Non Fiction

This is one of the most special posts that is very close to my heart. I wrote it in May, 2015.

This post comprises some of the most beautiful memories that I have with my mother...how she taught me music, introduced me to the world of books and had been my cheerleader throughout. I have also included the two special poems that I have written for her.

5. The lady at the bus stop ~ Fiction

A short story that I wrote in May, 2015. It also later got published in the September issue of Writer's Ezine.

Rajeev meets a mysterious lady, Meera at the bus stop on one rainy and stormy night. She looks at him intently, as if she knows him for years. As Rajeev goes to buy a cup of tea for her from the nearby shop, she leaves the bus stop, keeping a note that makes Rajeev speechless.

6. Dear Kalimpong, I heart you ~ Non Fiction

I wrote this travel post in June, 2015. This is an account of my wonderful summer vacation in Kalimpong, a remote hill station of West Bengal this year.

I fulfilled my wish of Paragliding and had a wonderful time in this town. The best thing is that this is the place that I have chosen for the backdrop of my 3rd novel which I have completed writing this year. (Yet to finalize a publisher, though!)

7. Beauty: You and your gifts ~ Poetry

A poem that I wrote in August 2015 for the Poets United Midweek Motif: Beauty.

I tried to express the beauty in both meeting and separation through this poem.             

                                      "Beauty was a mystifying term

Until you walked into my life;

Amidst the arena of mist and fog

I saw a canopy of ambrosial sunshine."

8. Remembering Tagore on Baishe Shrabon ~ Non Fiction

I wrote this post on the death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore this year.

Rabindranath Tagore is not only my favorite author and poet, but he is also someone whose writings and songs have influenced me since childhood. This post is a small tribute to Tagore for being the huge influence in my life.

9. The Greatest Healer, Time ~ Poetry

I wrote this poem in October, 2015 and it got published later in the December Issue of Writer's Ezine. This post is very special to me because many people told me that they got motivated to keep faith in Time after reading the poem.

"Let the positive energy flow into your heart

Drop the baggage that robs you off life,

You are stronger than your wounds

Your life is much larger than your pain.

Have faith in the greatest healer, Time"

10. Sunshine in December ~ Poetry

This is the last poem that I have written this year. 

When love is there in life, we can see sunshine in December too. No month or day can be so frozen and chilly if we have the warmth of love in our hearts.

"She digs out the box of memories

Wears the cloak of thoughts

Enamoring

Warm

Crimson.

Now, she can see sunshine in December

A thousand sun rays illuminated her snowy heart"

Thanks to all my lovely readers and fellow bloggers for being with me in this year. 

Wish you all a very Happy New Year 2016! 

Stay Blessed! Keep shining!

Sunshine in December

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The chilly winds of December

Winter blues all around

Gloomy

Ashen

Pallid.

She digs out the box of memories

Wears the cloak of thoughts

Enamoring

Warm

Crimson.

Now, she can see sunshine in December

A thousand sun rays illuminated her snowy heart

Of his love

Of her love

Of their love.

-Purba Chakraborty

(20.12.2015)

Linking this poem with Poetry Pantry #283, the last poetry pantry of this year :)

Design your Life

Design the life,

The life you dream to live

Channel all your energies

In creating the masterpiece.

Let your life

Look like a beautiful artwork

Sound like an enchanting melody.

Yes, we can all do it

By blending the power

Of our Heart and Mind,

And not letting them 

Be at constant loggerheads.

Design your life, 

The life you dream to live
Adversities will spill ink
Mangle your design time and again

They'll cripple and discourage you. 
Rest for a while, if you must
Take a deep breath
And start afresh again

Don't quit till you've created the masterpiece.

Linking my new poem on Design with Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Design

As 2015 is about to end in 2 weeks, let's promise to make 2016 an amazing year of our lives by designing it in the best possible way.

Key features of Kolkata, the City of Joy

The Victoria Memorial located in the heart of Kolkata

Born and brought up in Kolkata, I can never find any city in India that I can love more than the City of Joy. Every city has its own set of limitations and Kolkata is no different. However, the warmth, the love and the festive spirit of this city compensates for many of its limitations.  The best thing about Kolkata is definitely the enthusiasm for having fun and joy.

 Can you imagine a long queue of people standing in front of a Durga Puja pandal for as long as 2 hours anywhere else? People of Kolkata never miss an opportunity to enjoy life. They are crazy about adda (gossiping) about football, politics, literature, music, food and so on. Many people cannot understand the happy-go-lucky nature of the people in this city and end up calling them lazy.

Let’s look at the City of Joy in respect to 3 interesting key features:

Drive

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The two bridges that connect Kolkata with Howrah railway station are the Vidyasagar Setu and Howrah Bridge. Both the bridges connect the city with Howrah over the Ganges. Traffic congestion is quite common in Kolkata and therefore, a network of flyovers and expressways such as Belghoria Expressway and Kona Expressway are being created to make the traffic situation better.

If you drive in Kolkata, you can face a lot of traffic congestion in the busiest parts of the city. However, there are some parts of the city which are not so congested such as Salt Lake and Rajarhat where you can drive smoothly.

Design

The city of joy is spread roughly north to south along the east bank of the river Hoogly. The oldest part of the city is North Kolkata, which is characterized by narrow alleyways and 19^th century architecture. North Kolkata includes areas such as ShobhaBazar, ShyamBazar and Dum Dum.

Central Kolkata contains Esplanade and B.B.D Bagh (Dalhousie Square) on its east and Strand Road on its west. It is the hub of business and includes areas such as Park Street, Camac Street and A.J.C Bose Road. 

The lush green, Maidan

The beautiful lush green, large open field called Maidan is located in the heart of the city. The Kolkata Race Course and the gorgeous Victoria Memorial are located at the southern part of the Maidan.

South Kolkata developed post independence. It includes areas like Ballygunge, Jadavpur, Tollygunge, NewAlipore and Behala. 

There are two planned townships, namely Salt Lake City and Rajarhat in the greater Kolkata region. In the 2000s, the Sector V of the Saltlake City developed into a huge business hub for telecommunication companies and information technology.

Connect

Kolkata was the very first city in South Asia to have an underground metro railway. The metro line of the City of Joy is mostly underground, unlike that of Delhi metro.  The metro line begins at Noapara in the North, passes over Esplanade and ends in New Garia at south. So, the city is well connected by metro, which makes it easier to travel from north to south or vice versa.

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Apart from metro, all regions of Kolkata are connected by government and private buses which make it convenient to travel to any part of the city. There is a central bus depot at the Esplanade from where you can also get long distance buses.

The meter taxi/cabs are also available at all regions in Kolkata. Apart from that, rickshaws and auto rickshaws help in covering small distances.

The only airport in the city is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, located at Dumdum which operates both domestic and international flights. The two major railway stations of Kolkata are Sealdah Railway Station and Howrah Railway Station.

So, that’s the Drive, Design and Connect features of my lovely city. 

Know about the #madeofgreat association of Tata Motors at http://madeofgreat.tatamotors.com/

Colors: Key to the Book of Memories

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Colors of love are bountiful

They don't fade away.

Rather, with the passage of time

They become the key to our book of memories.

The silver glimmer of his eyes

When he proposed her decades back;

She finds it in the shimmering stars today

The color opens her book of memories.

The delicate pink of her cheeks

When she shyly read his first love letter to her;

He finds it in the twilight sky today

The color opens his book of memories.

With every single color,

An enamored memory is associated.

Be it her black kohl-lined eyes,

Or the lilac shirt she gifted him;

There is a story that every color whisper

To the people who are in love

Year after year.

The same colors reflect in other objects

Be it in the black, monsoon clouds

Sheathing the pretty moon,

Or in the blooming of flowers

On a bright, spring morning.

The colors tug at our heart strings

Opening the book of our memories.

Linking my poem on Colors with Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Colors 

My favorite dessert: Patishapta Pitha (sugar free)

I have a sweet tooth and I am crazy for almost all kinds of sweets. However, my favorite is Patishapta Pitha which is a traditional Bengali sweet. 

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Patishapta Pitha 

Every year, during Makar Sankranti/Poush Parbon, I get to eat this amazing dessert. My granny prepares this incredibly delicious dessert on the day of Makar Sankranti. I have lovely childhood memories associated with this dessert.

Basically, Patishapta Pitha is a pancake recipe. Here, the pancakes are filled with kheer. It takes near about 45 minutes to prepare this dessert. Instead of using sugar, you can use SugarFree Natura. 

Ingredients

The ingredients that we will need to prepare Sugar Free Patishapta Pitha are as follows:

Suji (Semolina)
Maida (White flour)
Khowa Kheer
Cooking oil
Milk
SugarFree Natura

Recipe

Here is the recipe of sugar free Patishapta Pitha:

First of all, we need to condense the milk properly by boiling and stirring it constantly. Then we have to add Khowa Kheer so that it slowly turns into a semi-liquid state. We also need to add SugarFree Natura in the milk for taste. (Note: You can get Khowa Kheer from the market. However, if it is not available, you can still make this dish, but the milk will take plenty of time to get converted into a semi-liquid state).

Now, we need to add 2 cups of water in suji and maida to make a dense mix. Then, we have to add SugarFree Natura in the mix for taste.

Now, we should take the frying pan and heat it. Then, we have to coat the surface of the frying pan with a little amount of oil.

Carefully, we should pour 4-5 tablespoons of suji-maida mix on the frying pan. Then, spread the mix evenly on the frying pan till it takes a round shape.

Now, we should pour one tablespoon of the semi liquid kheer over the round spread.

After a few seconds, we should roll the circular spread like bread roll. Now, we need to fry the roll on the frying pan. We should flip the sides of the roll every 10 seconds till it turns slightly reddish brown in color.

And, we have our sugar free Bengali Patishapta Pitha ready! For me, winters are incomplete without this dessert. 

Know more about Sugarfree Natura at http://sugarfree-india.com/

Providing a healthy environment in schools to promote better education!

The initiative

Support My School is a WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) initiative launched by Coca-Cola India and NDTV in association with the UN-Habitat, Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) in 2011. The motto of this initiative is to provide a clean and healthy ambiance in several government schools so that students get a holistic learning environment.

Schools in the rural and semi-urban areas

There are several government schools, especially in the rural areas which do not have separate toilets for girls and boys. The students don’t have access to water and a poor infrastructure. The schools also do not have clean playgrounds and clean classrooms. Without these basic amenities, schools can hardly provide a healthy environment for students which is favorable for learning.

Many girls drop out of schools because there is no separate toilet for girls. Sanitation issues and poor access to clean drinking water results in absenteeism. According to several studies, the drop-out rate is maximum in schools that are located in semi-urban and rural areas because these schools lack the basic amenities.

Mission of the Campaign

The future of a country depends on the quality of education provided to the students. If a large section of students drop-out of school due to an unhealthy environment, it is a serious matter to worry about.

Support My School is a campaign with a mission to revitalize 1000 schools in our country. The mission is known as Mission 1000.

The core activities that this campaign undertakes are as follows:

·        Improved access to clean, drinking water.

·        Proper sanitation facility for boys and girls.

·        Sports and recreation facilities.

·        Recharging groundwater through rainwater harvesting.

·        Overall improvement in the environment and the infrastructure of a school.

Conclusion

Such programs are the need of the hour to improve the education sector of our country. The Support My School initiative by Coca-Cola India and NDTV is in line with Swacchh Bharat Vision and promises to bring about a major change in the quality of education in our country. This initiative has already revitalized many schools in the districts. After getting revitalized, the schools have reported of higher attendance of students and increased enrollment.

Thus, we should wholeheartedly support this campaign, to our best abilities. Let’s hope that this wonderful initiative is able to bring more and more students to school and provide them with a holistic learning environment.

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela

  

CollegeDunia : A guiding star for students

Deciding the career and choosing the appropriate college to pursue it, is one of the most important and daunting decisions of a student’s life. There is chaos and confusion all around with parents and relatives giving constant suggestions. However, you must understand that this is your life and your career. A slight mistake in making your choice can leave you with a room full of regrets.

If you are a student, here is some excellent news for you. Now, you have a guiding star who can guide you in deciding which college you should take admission in. Collegedunia.com is an extensive search engine for students and parents who are looking for information about colleges in India and abroad. This is an ideal platform for students to choose their institution as it has information of more than 10,000 colleges in India. 

Not only that, you can also get information about the entrance examinations, educational events and college festivals. So you can completely rely on this website for getting an accurate date on entrance exams, college and universities. This website has been launched with the vision of empowering students so that they don’t go wrong with their higher education.

Even if you decide your career path, it is not an easy decision to choose the course that is ideal for you and the college that can provide you with the right education. Only when you have knowledge about the types of courses offered in our country and the colleges excelling in providing them, you can make the right choice.

For example, if you want to opt for a great medical career, you will probably think of cracking a medical entrance exam. But are you aware of the number of medical exams in our country? Well, now you don’t have to stress much. If you find yourself perplexed about which direction to go, you should immediately take guidance from CollegeDunia.  Here, you can get extensive information about the list of medical exams in India that will help you to choose your path. You can prepare yourself accordingly, without any stress. 

Similarly, there are plenty of medical courses after12th, many of which you might not know. In order to excel in your medical career, you must be well acquainted with all the medical courses that are offered in our country. Only when you have complete knowledge about all the courses, you can decide which course you should apply for. You can get detailed information about the popular medical courses in India in this website. 

The same thing applies for every career, be it engineering or management. So if you are confused about which career to pursue or which college to take admission in, visit CollegeDunia right away. This site is a guiding star for ambitious students whose eyes are shimmering with dreams of a great future. 

Source of Vitality

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Life has its set pattern;

Bright, then gloomy

Achromatic, then colorful

Even in those ashen days,

There is vitality somewhere

We need to discover the source.

For me, it is the addictive smell of books

The gorgeous sight of my home library.

The stories take me away on a vacation

They dilute every dreariness

And revitalize me, 

Bringing promise and hope.

I get enriched with inspiration

To be a great story teller some day;

My soul brims with love

I bask in the beauty of life.

Linking this poem to Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Energy, Vitality

5 ways to keep the skin of your baby soft and safe

Whenever I go to my cousin’s house, time just flies away with my little niece. Babies are beautiful angels and mood healers. Even if your mood is bitter by any turn of event, spending a few minutes with a baby can be therapeutic. You get instantly wrapped in an ambiance of love, joy and warmth.

The little angels who fill our lives with such pure and divine love need adequate care. The skin of babies is so delicate that they are extremely susceptible to rashes and infection. Therefore, we need to follow some simple ways to keep babies’ skin soft and safe. Here are 5 ways by which you can keep the skin of your baby soft and safe:

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     Protect your angel from the sun: The skin of your angel is very soft and delicate. Therefore, you should protect your angel from the harsh sun. You should always use an umbrella when you are taking your angel out in the sun. You can also use a sunscreen lotion for babies on the back of your baby’s hands and on the face, if you cannot keep your baby in the shade. Dress your angel in a hat, sunglasses and long-sleeved clothing when you are taking her out in the sun.

    Give a post-bath massage to your angel: Massages are a great way to keep the skin of your angel soft. So give a massage to your baby after bath. As the skin of your baby stays hydrated after bath, an oil massage will be perfect.

Choose products that have baby friendly ingredients: When you are buying oil, soap, shampoo, etc. for your baby, do not forget to check the ingredients of the products. Avoid products with harsh chemicals such as lanolin and talc as they can irritate the skin of your angel. Choose a gentle detergent for washing the clothes of your baby.

Protect your baby from diaper rash: You need to protect your little angel from the irritation of diaper rash. Change the diapers of your baby every two hours in order to minimize diaper rash. You should choose Pampers Premium Care Pants for your baby as they will be the softest for the skin of your baby.

Choose cotton for your baby: Cotton is definitely the best fabric for your angel. It is both soft and comfortable. Your angel will feel comfortable all day in cotton clothes. It will also prevent the skin of your angel from rashes and infection. 

If you follow these 5 simple tips, then you can surely keep the skin of your baby soft and safe. Create a soft, beautiful and secure ambiance for your angel where there are countless smiles and happiness. 

“Pampers brings you the softest ever Pampers Premium Care Pants. Its cotton-like softness is #SoftestForBabySkin and allows it to breathe, thus keeping baby’s skin soft and healthy, and your baby happy. ”

Make a difference in an innocent child's life!

The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

What makes us human is our compassionate and giving nature. We feel sad when we see someone in pain. We want to help when we see someone in need. We feel happy when we can make someone smile. We feel melancholic when we listen to tragic news on television. These emotions are the essence of our lives. Without these emotions, we would be labelled as robots. 

Whenever I see a child begging in the street or selling balloons or crying out of hunger, something pricks my heart so badly. I keep pondering about the intensity of pain that these children are subjected to. I am sure most of us feel the same way. 

Unfortunately, hunger and malnutrition are serious issues that our country is facing. The Akshaya Patra Foundation is like a bright ray of hope for the needy children. The organization is extremely dedicated and is constantly fighting to end child hunger. 

They have the world's largest (NGO run) mid-day meal programme, feeding over 1.4 million school children from 10,845 schools across 10 states in India every single day. I feel really proud and happy about the quality of work that this organization is doing for the underprivileged children.

Recently, the Akshaya Patra Foundation won the 14th Mother Teresa Award in the Best NGO Category, 2014. The wonderful singer and composer, Shankar Mahadevan is the brand ambassador of the organization.

We all know that little drops of water make the mighty ocean. We are like the little drops of water and our contribution in a child's life would result in a better world. When I learnt about this foundation, I wanted to blog about it instantly to spread awareness so that kind and compassionate individuals can support the cause.

If we can contribute in our own simple ways for these innocent children, then the Akshaya Patra Foundation will be powerful enough to eradicate child hunger from our country totally. How beautiful our country will be then, with not a single child starving in the day!

This is a small chance to make a big difference in an innocent child's life. Let's support the Akshaya Patra Foundation in ending child hunger. Let's unleash our kind and compassionate side. Our one act of kindness can paint plenty of smiles on an innocent child's face.

You can make your contribution at https://www.akshayapatra.org/onlinedonations