Jaago Re

As the holiday mood had set in and fervor for revelry had begun to grow, the cheeriness that began with the jingling bells and red nosed reindeer's spread beyond Christmas, taking the festive spirit along. In all this excitement, everyone remembered – to make those “almost never to be kept” resolutions. Resolutions that are made with zeal and forgotten once everyone wakes up on New Year morning; all dreary eyes and puffed up with a bad hangover. Three days into the New Year and resolutions are already being broken. But this time a resolution needs to be made and kept. Not by one, nor by two. By everyone who calls themselves Indians. Because 2014 is different; from the year that has gone by and symbolizes the fate of the country for the time that will follow. 

2014 is the year India goes to polls. To elect its representatives, those who will be its face to the rest of the world, help it grow and protect it from the dangers that lie ahead. This is also a year that sets in on the brinks of change.  A change that took birth towards the end of 2013 and stays poised to grow well into next year; a change that mobilized India’s most crucial yet dormant population to vote – The Indian Youth. 

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The Delhi assembly elections in December 2013 saw the common man pour out on the streets to vote. For what could possibly be the first time, the youth and “urbanized” population stepped out of their cozy homes and stood in the voting lines. These were votes that used to never see the light of day, these were the votes that made things matter and brought about a change. 

While the change was momentous, there was an open secret behind its success.  The presence of a medium that was relatively new for the Indian Political System, but one that had fast taken residence across Indian homes - Social Media.

What the Delhi elections proved was that Social Media was here to stay as a crucial enabler to raise awareness amongst the voters and motivate them to vote.  It also signaled the critical role social media apps would play in the case of the larger monster lurking in the corner… The Lok Sabha Elections. 

The Indian Youth has woken up, but four months are a long enough period to make some yawn. There is still a lot more that needs to be done to further the cause and keep the youth motivated to vote for the larger pie and if there is any mean of doing it, it would be through social media and social mobile apps. 

Campaigning: Creating dedicated pages on popular social networking sites such as Facebook to publish areas of concern and a manifesto that details out the roadmap when and if the party comes to power.

Creating awareness: Publishing statistics around how voting is crucial and current state of affairs across instant messaging apps such as Twitter, WeChat and WhatsApp. 

Conferences: Bringing the youth from different parts of the country onto a common medium such as WeChat video calls and others to interact, brainstorm and exchange ideas.

Volunteering: Introducing the youth to the activities that go into an election process and motivating them to volunteer in any way possible.

Information Localization: Using custom publishing techniques to push relevant and localized content to the youth on the election news in their constituency along with the national level data onto mobile phones

Video chats: Facilitate video chats with candidates in the concerned constituency to give prospective voters more clarity on who they should vote for.

“Mobile” word of mouth: Using instant messaging apps such as WeChat, introduce recommendations by friends on news and information that has inspired them to consider voting. In addition create “friendship groups” for friends to discuss and exchange views.

Surveys: conduct surveys using social mobile apps to understand the pulse of the youth. Spread survey results across groups to encourage participation and motivate them to vote.

Sentiment reporting: Conducting sentiment analysis to analyze the response of readers and voters from across social mobile apps and sharing the views expressed back to the readers. 

Live reporting: Using features of social mobile apps such as “Moments” from WeChat, ground work data and live feeds of election news/campaigns can be shared with the votes.

With these, only the surface would have been scratched. Social Media and Social Mobile Apps have an infinite potential that can be leveraIged in myriad number of ways. From developing new mobile apps to target certain segments to inventing on demand content, there is a long way to go in using this versatile medium to mobilize Indian youth and ensure a historic change as far as elections are concerned. 

The country has been through a lot since independence. Non-qualified leaders, inefficient governments, toothless administration and corruption across all offices and systems… each and every facet has consistently pecked into the very core, rendering it hollow and weak. It is but a matter of time, before the nation’s backbone comes crumbling down, never to rise again. If there is anyone who can help it survive, it is the Indian Youth – the future of this country, the pillars on which it hopes to base its new foundation.

The means are within reach, all that is needed is to take the step in the right direction. It is time not just to hope for change but to BE the change. It is time to take matters in our own hands.

Jai Hind!

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This post is written for Indian General Elections using Social Mobile Apps contest hosted by Indiblogger in association with WeChat

Memories In A Bottle

Dear Friend,

Sitting cozy in the armchair, I feast on Pride and Prejudice between sips of an icy cold cranberry breezer. Our favourite book and drink, what more reason do I need to miss our times together? … An orange haze streaks through the window brightening up the twin armchair next to mine, the one that you occupied when you were around. The books we read and the topics we discussed changed every time but the armchair and breezers were our constant companions.

We loved Alcopops didn’t we? Esp. if they were fruit wine based. I remember how much we hesitated before we tried one. Cranberry was the first flavor we tried and we were hooked for life. Despite the different flavours out there on the shelves, it used to always be cranberry that found its way into our shopping cart.

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I guess the colour was what attracted us most to this drink when we first bought those bottles. Not to mention the thought of cranberries! ... And that odd yet so delicious combination of bitter and sweet that played havoc when the berry melted into the mouth. One sip of the drink and those sensations have begun to play again.

As I take another sip, it opens a floodgate to memories of Christmas and Thanksgiving. That divine sauce we made out of that tiny fruit or the warmth it added to the Christmas decorations each time we strung them with popcorn on the tree. The turkey would never have tasted that scrumptious without the sauce now, would it? And oh those pies! It used to be fun devouring them down and wiping off those untidy crumbs from our faces.

No wonder we fell in love with this flavor; there were too many wonderful memories associated with it. And now I can never let it go, because it symbolizes fun times and those beautiful moments that we shared in the past.

It’s been a decade since you moved to the Big Apple, never to come back. Yes, we do talk over the phone and catch up over mail and will always stay best of friends. With time however, our lives have changed and the time we spent together has been permanently locked away to be just a precious memory.

But then a day comes by when I see a Cranberry breezer and all those memories flash by making me reminisce the time we spent together… just like it did today.

Those were the days my friend

I thought they would never end

But with a Cranberry Breezer in hand

Sometimes I relive them again.

Missing you

Your Friend… Forever

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This post is written for Breezer "Catch the flavour" contest hosted by Indiblogger in association with Bacardi

An Active India… A Stronger India

There was a time when children played out in the open without any qualms of falling sick. They danced in the rains and splashed mud all around, building castles on the beach and playing “gilli-danda” or “lagori” on the streets. Childhood memories were made of laughter and mischief and not of common colds and flus. That was the time of our grandpas and grandmas, a time when immunity was at its high, not to be dithered by weather changes, mosquitoes and flies.

That was a time that is now steadily disappearing into the past; never to come back again.

As newer generations take birth, childhood is getting redefined. Evenings are made of iPad games and television shows while Cycling, Cricket and Football are being left behind. A slight drizzle or winds that howl now and then are reason enough for children to stay back at home glued to their screens. Add to it a healthy dose of fries and smileys and evenings turn from good to perfect for them. Happy and gay this armchair childhood might make them feel, but something will always stay amiss; something that is adding to the lines on every parent’s forehead today – Immunity and resistance to illnesses.

The slightest weather change or play in the rain leads to sneezes followed by high temperatures. Cold and Flu’s are on the rise; so are typhoid, hand, foot and mouth and the likes. If pollution gets added to this unhealthy mix consider your fate cemented for the downfall. Viruses and bacteria are growing in abundance, laughing away as their attacks get more vicious than ever. All we can do is sit back helplessly and watch as our younger generation fails to garner the immunity they require to keep these organisms at bay.

There are many factors contributing to this; most pertinent being a decreasing interest in outdoor activities and increasing effect of fast food and an imbalanced diet.

Healthier diet: pray what can that mean?

In earlier times, as soon as a child learnt to eat, they were introduced to fruits, nuts and vegetables along with the healthy doses of protein. Each meal was homemade and while sweets and savouries were loved as much, the wholesomeness in the meal was never forgotten. Given the hectic lifestyles we have today, time has become a precious commodity and the minutes spent in one’s kitchen a rare phenomenon. The helps and cooks do their bit, but the times when hot fresh food would be cooked in our kitchens for every meal are slowly on the decline. Come weekends and it is time to unwind and relax thus making eating out more convenient than at home. Evening snacks are about frozen “ready to fry” foods that never fail to sound yummy to the taste buds. Instant noodles were controlled in our diets by our parents but our love for them has ensured they stay on our children’s plate more often than they did on ours. Pizzas and burgers today count among favourite foods making them the easier option to satisfy the child’s hunger when in need. Pre-cooked and frozen foods, excessive intake of fried delicacies and increased consumption of outside meals are taking a toll on our immunity systems; imagine what they would do to that of a child’s? These need not be completely cut out, but a balance needs to be struck with nutritious food to boost immunity.

What a balanced diet ensures is that the right nutrients and supplements are provided to a child at the right time – at childhood. A child’s metabolism is extremely high and the diet can become effective only if it is channelized in the right direction – through activity and physical fitness.

Outdoor activities: why are they so important?

Early exposure to outdoor sports like our ancestors had, results in developing a robust immune system. The key word here being Early. In olden days getting wet in the monsoons while playing a game of “gully cricket” might have led to a couple of sneezes early on, but the child sprang up and went back to the game as if nothing had happened. Small bruises and cuts they might have got, bleed they would have but the child emerged with a body physically stronger. What made this possible? – The adaptability of the human body to weather and grime due to frequent exposure. After all it is well known that the physiology of a child is designed to recover faster and be more involved with their surroundings. Yes, as unusual as it might sound, if children get used to those rain drops and that sudden chill, chances are they will fall sick lesser. Last but not the least outdoor activities will imply a more active childhood developing into a habit of an active adult life. A habit for activity would in turn mean lesser tendency to lead a sedentary lifestyle in your later life. As a corollary that would mean minimal dependency on vitamin supplements to boost nutrition levels.

In addition to activity and diet, what lowers immunity is constant dependency on antibiotics and analgesics to fight ailments. They do achieve their objective and rid your body of the illness however it comes at a cost – your immunity. The stronger the antibiotic, the harsher it is on your immune system. Regaining back the lost immunity becomes a herculean task and as any doctor would put it; a healthy diet comes to the rescue. If the problem is addressed at its roots, strong medicines will not be required to address it and cause any further damage in the process.

Agility and Adaptability are two human abilities that begin to slow down with age. These characteristics are at their prime during childhood making it all the more crucial to give them the necessary boost at that age.

Immunity can always be injected through supplements however its longevity will depend on the continuous intake of those pills and syrups. If ingrained into the lifestyle right from the beginning, it will ensure a natural immune system to be developed within the body.

Recent surveys only add to the urgency to bring about a change. A grim outlook is not only limited to India but the rest of the globe as well. Today’s children are not as active and fit as their parents used to be and it is anything but a compliment to the latter. It cannot get any scarier than this.

It is a dire state of affairs but the grey cloud comes with a silver lining. Brands such as Dabur are doing their bit to help fortify the immune system from the core, in a natural (Ayurvedic) way as opposed to fighting through antibiotics... esp. with launching flavoured chyawanprash’s which can attract both young and the elder alike. As they continue to do their bit for the betterment of society, the first step to ensuring immunity must begin at home.

Parents need to give priority to their child’s health by taking a few lessons from the previous generations and in fact from their own. Guaranteeing a balanced diet and encouraging a mentally as well as physically active childhood will be the key to inculcate a robust immune system in the generations to come.

It is time to begin that journey now rather than pushing it off to later because ensuring a brighter tomorrow for our children is in nobody’s but our hands.

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This post is written for Dabur Chyawanprash contest hosted by Indiblogger in association with Dabur

Forever Yours

It was hate at first sight; that was the emotion I felt when I first met him. Lazy, satirical, a dreamer with a wicked sense of humour, he was everything I wasn't.  I had an obsession for cleanliness and control while he found peace in madness and chaos. To cut a long story short, if he was chalk then I was cheese.

He had fit like a glove with the rest of my group. Since the day he had tagged along with his cousin, our friend, he had hit it off. It was impossible not to like him they said, all their reasoning falling deaf on my ears.  He must have realized my hostility; nothing else could explain the twinkle I saw in his eyes each time he looked at me.

Much to my dislike we had many an interest in common. I loved to shuttle a rally while he enjoyed smashing the shuttle. I found peace in penning my musings while he was known to be a witty blogger.  Privately I loved his writing style but shunned his work in public. My explicit rebuttal was met with a nonchalance that exasperated me beyond measure. He found tremendous joy in cementing my feelings, not giving any importance when I expected some. He seemed to enjoy seeing me twiddle and twitch and was thoroughly amused by the effect he had on me.

I was a sucker for good old fashioned romance, having seen the “platinum day of love” advertisement I wished it would come true for me.  He ridiculed the concept of fairy tale romance and falling in love, laughing at my Mills-&-Boons-like behavior as he liked to call it.

We would have continued to be at logger heads had it not been for the trip to Maui, Hawaii the group was planning for the thanksgiving weekend. The romantic in me loved the idea of visiting the Island, well I could ignore his presence and have a fun time, I thought.

Swaying palms and molten sunsets set the mood in Maui. We began our three day trip with a drive on the ‘Road to Hana’ – a picturesque drive through what seemed like heaven on earth, an unforgettable journey to say the least. I noticed he had gone quiet since we landed in Hawaii, I didn't have to try very hard to avoid him, he had taken it onto himself to do so… there was something amiss I could sense but was unable to place a finger on it.

We spent day two exploring the beaches that dotted the coastline and ending it with a mesmerizing Luau.  The soulful Hawaiian music filled the air as we watched the dancers bring the lyrics to life. I glanced around feeling happy and content only to meet those emerald green eyes that looked away each time our gazes met. What was wrong with me I wondered, here he was staying away from my path, yet I was filled with a feeling of emptiness.

On the final day we made the much awaited trip to Haleakalā, the shield volcano that made up 75% of Maui’s map.  Having heard much about the Haleakalā sunrise we set off at 3 AM to arrive in time to herald in the new day.

The sunrise was known to be sacred in Maui; I could feel the sanctity as soon as we reached. I was overwhelmed by the sight that greeted us at the grand summit overlooking the crater like valley. The temperature was hovering around freezing but the mesmerizing view in front of us took our minds off the biting cold. It was one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen. All went quiet, taking in the beauty of what lay in front of us, esp. he who seemed lost in his own world. Once again that unknown feeling tried to make its way into my mind, I brushed it off.

The Celestial Canvas at Haleakalā

As the time for sunrise drew close, the sky was lit with a hue of colours that left me awestruck. My childhood bedtime stories then came to life as I saw the morning star rise over the horizon triggering off the morning chant recital by the forest ranger. The purple haze of the horizon then melted away, splashes of orange and red spread across the sky like wild brush strokes across a celestial canvas announcing the arrival of the Sun. It was truly an ethereal moment. My hands had turned blue in the cold by then, distracting me from the beauty that was taking shape.

As I watched the sun rise, I felt a hand grip mine rubbing my palm to relieve the cold, sending a surge of warmth through my body. Everything seemed so right at that moment. This was the feeling I had hoped to experience ever since I understood the concept of love. I turned around and started into those emerald green eyes again, eyes that were filled with pure emotion and the twinkle that I had mistaken all this while. That unknown feeling that had been evading me through the trip now became crystal clear… I had been dreaming of love all my life and it had been waiting in the shadows just round the corner.

Sunrise panorama at Haleakalā

As the magnificent Sun rose proudly into the sky, the moment of truth dawned onto me. Subconsciously we leaned towards each other, embracing and melting into a kiss. We lost count of time; everything seemed to fall into place with the sheer acknowledgement of the feeling that had surfaced between us. Friendship had taken a whole new meaning. Whoops of joy from our friends made us break apart. The group wasn't surprised as much as we were, this moment was long in the waiting, they said.

I wanted to be angry with them but the day had given me a certain high, a joy that I was itching to share. Life had turned its pink cheeks my way and love was in the air. All I could do was blush while my friends thumped our backs and jumped with joy.

They say there is a thin line that divides love and hate. For me, it had been the horizon at Haleakalā. I continued to hold his hand, the feeling as magical as the sunrise had been. From here on our anniversary could only be celebrated with Platinum, nothing else could surpass the molten gold that symbolized the beginning of this eternal relationship. Yes, this was my platinum day of love.

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Note: This post is written for The Platinum day of love contest hosted by Indiblogger in association with Preciousplatinum.in