Benefits of having black t-shirts in your wardrobe

black t-shirts

black t-shirtsWhen I was in college I could never wear black t-shirts with jeans although I loved black so much. Can you guess why? Well, both my parents had an aversion for black clothes as they considered black depressing and it represented negativity. It took me so long to convince them about the benefits of wearing black, by then my days in college were over! (sigh)

When it comes to wearing black, I have seen there are three categories of people in the world – those who don’t like to wear black (probably inspired by similar thoughts as my parents once had.) those who wear black only because they are not sure what colour to wear and find black mitigates the risk of going wrong and finally, those who love to wear black (not just for one reason, but for several reasons) …just like me. 🙂

Gone are those days when that little black dress (LBD) was a staple for women’s wardrobe only. Modern metro sexual man has pretty good fashion sense and he has become conscious about what he wears and how he looks while going out. So, men also need to add black casuals to their wardrobes.

The advantages of wearing black are many

Black makes you look slender. Black helps to hide your baby fat and ensures a more shapely appearance. As a reason black dresses have always been popular among women. So guys, why don’t you try that trick too? In fact, a black t-shirt has all the potential to make you look sexier. 😉

Having a few black t-shirts in your wardrobe can actually save your time. Be it a party, special occasion, date or a casual night out there are times when you get confused what to wear and what not to wear. That’s the time you should put on black without wasting your time in such quandary. You know, I wear black when I am in a hurry. 😀

It’s easy to team up a black t-shirt with any shade of jeans or trousers. You can enjoy more freedom and flexibility when it comes to selecting accessories to match black outfit than to clothes of any other colour.

Black is a convenient choice for backpackers and travellers. If you are a footloose like me you know how convenient it is to wear black on the go. Whenever I travel I carry t-shirts of dark shades such as black, navy blue, maroon or coffee. Since dark colours camouflage dirt and stains well I don’t need to wash my clothes often during backpacking trips.

Black clothing has some distinctive psychological effects. Black hides the odds and the irregularities on your body. So you come out as a more confident person more in control of how you look than you do in any other shades. Most importantly, when it comes to fashion, black is the mark of elegance and sophistication.

Things you should consider while buying black t-shirts

If you don’t find plain black t-shirts appealing then go for graphic t-shirts. Remember black doesn’t look equally good on all fabrics. The shade looks more attractive on viscose and synthetic materials than on cotton. Cotton t-shirts also tend to wear out quickly. So be careful about the quality of fabric before buying anything in black.

black t-shirts

Black is mysterious. Black is seductive. Black is stylish. Add a dash of black to your attire to up your style quotient and see the difference. 🙂

Boutique hotels in Kolkata that leave you enchanted

Boutique hotels in Kolkata

Boutique hotel, the concept originating in the 80s in England and popularized across Europe and North America, is now a familiar term in India. However, Kolkata was not so much acquainted with boutique hotel services until a decade ago. The city’s hospitality industry was content with a handful of plush 4-star/5-star hotels and swanky business hotels when it came to luxury accommodation. But just like any other metros in our country Kolkata is evolving in every aspect starting from road transport and communication to commercial and business infrastructure. Hotel businesses here are no exceptions.

Boutique hotels in Kolkata, hotel bookings in kolkata

During the last decade a few boutique hotels have come into existence in Kolkata.

If you are a connoisseur of luxury and upscale lifestyle you can definitely go for a reservation in any of the boutique hotels in Kolkata in your next business visit.

Here I would like to discuss about boutique hotels for those who confuse the term with luxury hotels. Boutique hotels indeed offer luxury accommodation but “luxury” is not the only term to describe or define this type of hotel.

Now, what exactly is a boutique hotel?

A boutique hotel is a small hotel (number of rooms ranging between 10 and 100) usually built on exclusive property with distinctive design and settings, offering highly personalized services to its clientele.

Then, why would you choose a boutique hotel over regular mid-segment hotels in Kolkata? Well, the reasons are many.

If you are not among those who seek “home away from home” in hotels and if you do not mind spending extra bucks for an unmatched experience then boutique hotels in Kolkata are the best places to stay.

It’s true that Kolkata’s boutique hotels might be more expensive than mid-range business hotels. But they ensure an all together different level of experience with personalized service, intimate ambiance and uniquely designed interior for added visual delight. The services in boutique hotels are tailored to their clients’ specific needs to heighten the level of comfort and convenience.

Boutique hotels in KolkataEach hotel maintains its distinctive decor and setting that makes it unique from all the others. For example, Bodhi Tree is one of the oldest boutique hotels in Kolkata and is designed on Buddhist monastery theme. On the contrary, the theme of newly built The Corner Courtyard reflects Kolkata’s colonial past with its red brick interior and matching furnishing.

Boutique hotels usually have limited number of guests. So you can expect more peaceful quiet stay there. Like any upscale business hotel boutique hotels also feature exclusively designed restaurants and bars as a crowd puller.

Since boutique hotels are latest addition to Kolkata’s hotel industry these properties are either new constructions or entirely renovated with new thematic designs.

Kolkata’s boutique hotels are situated in prime locations to ensure easy and quick access to the city’s important commercial districts.

However, be it a business visit or holiday trip you should consider authentic sources for hotel bookings in Kolkata to grab the best deals.

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Early Bird

nainital, uttarakhand, kumaon, morning, dawn

Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark. ~ Rabindranath Tagore

nainital, uttarakhand, kumaon, morning, dawn

It was the morning we were to set out for Kausani from Nainital. So I woke up early at 5:30 that morning and went outside to observe the beauty and absorb the silence of dawn at Nainital. It has been my earliest morning capture so far. 🙂

The following shot was taken at Kausani at around 6:45 in the morning. I stood on the terrace for an hour waiting for the sun god to show up. But he was determined to hide behind the clouds that morning. The mountains and the Queen’s Meadow yonder were covered with a thick blanket of mist and the entire valley looked bluish in the pale morning light.

kausani, uttarakhand, kumaon, morning

Published in response to this week’s Daily Post Photo Challenge – Early Bird.
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Best Deo Options for Men to Stay Cool and Feel Fresh in Summer

deodorants, best deo for men

To those men who still in this misconception that smell from sweating increases their macho appeal to women. To those men who don’t even understand how badly they smell and it is because of this people avoid them and for nothing else. To those men who sweat a lot and feel embarrassed about it but don’t know how to get rid of this stinking sweaty smell.

deodorants, deo for men

You might think why I am suddenly after stinking men? (No offence please, rather when you take your shirt off just smell once and you’ll know) I am among that unfortunate lot who often face the trouble of tolerating stinky people in public transport or stinky colleagues during the office hours, especially in summer. With summer round the corner, I thought it would be good time to talk about the topic.

Let me share a fact I read in an article on The Huffington Post – “While women have more sweat glands than men, men’s sweat glands produce more sweat.”  

Some men think that sweaty smell increases their macho appeal to women (well, it could be your woman think that way about you but not the whole world, so please think before you go out). Some are completely ignorant about how smelly they can be and how terrible people around them may feel because of that. Well, when you appear well-dressed with neat and clean hair you look impressive at the first glance. But as you come closer with your suffocating body odour the impression index suddenly drops down to zero. Do you understand that? Perspiration is natural in a humid tropical country like ours but there are weapons like deodorants to fight with body odour.

I have noticed the younger generations are lot smarter. They are conscious not just about looking good but also smelling good and feeling good. And trust me, women like that and appreciate that. 

It’s not that only appearance is important, because not everyone is blessed with good looks. What is important is to feel good and that’s definitely not destiny. It’s in your hand. Look around and you’ll find a variety of deodorants for men. Their refreshing fragrance will keep you cool and energized all day long.  There are costly products like Loreal Men Expert Deodorant which offer longer lasting fragrance. But if you are like me who easily get bored of using the same deodorant everyday go for less expensive ones such as Nike, Fogg, Adidas, Axe or others. Pick three or four different deodorants and use them alternatively during the week. Buying online can save you money with some cool discount offers on products.

deodorants, best deo for men

Remember, it’s not that sweat causes body odour.

It is the bacteria accumulating on particular areas of our body (e.g. armpit) that cause the stench. Deodorants contain antimicrobial element that fights and prevents odour for a limited period though. If you have the tendency of stinking you can apply deodorants twice or thrice a day. Believe me; personal care is equally important for both women and men. It is the first step to develop a healthy body and mind.

Disclaimer: All images in this post are taken from the internet.

An ‘Extraordinary Day’ in Mount Abu

Mt Abu sunset, mount abu sunset point

“Iss hi doobte hue suraj ne hum mein pehli baar milaya tha … dekh lena, yahi doobta hua suraj hum mein ek din hamesha ke liye mila dega”

The dialogue from a popular Bollywood movie of the 80s, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, was resonating in my ear as our bus was approaching to the hills of Mount Abu. It was the place where some scenes of QSQT, including my favourite number “Gazab ka hai din...” was picturized. While our bus was running up the hills I was expecting a “gazab ka din” (meaning “an extraordinary day” in Hindi) in Mount Abu. As the height increased the air got cooler and the plantations along the slopes of the hills thickened. Ah…finally, I am in Mount Abu!

view from Adhar devi

We stayed at Hotel Abhishek Palace, a budget hotel with standard accommodation (room rate was Rs 800/-) It was an okay type of hotel which is about 10 minutes walk from Mount Abu’s bustling heart, Nakki Lake.

Mount Abu, being the sole hill station in this region, is a popular tourist destination. Vacationers and affluent local businessmen swarm in on weekends; hence it is an expensive place for shopping. Anyway, let’s come back to where we were. We reached Mt Abu just before sunset. After dumping our luggage at the hotel when we reached by the Nakki Lake it was already dark. I wish I had a boat ride in the lake. But boating is not allowed after sunset. 😦

nakki lake at night, mt abu, mount abu

Nakki Lake is a natural rainwater lake. The myth about the creation of this lake goes like this. Lord Bramha (of Hindu mythology) dug this lake with his nails. Nail is “nakhun” in Hindi and “nakki” in local dialect, hence the name. 🙂  With food stalls, eateries, cafes and clothing and handicrafts shops all around the decorated garden and entrance to the boat pier this is place to feel the pulses of Rajasthan’s lively hill station, Mt Abu. From dining to shopping to magic tricks performed by young boys – you’ll have many things to do and enjoy at Nakki Lake.

nakki lake in the morning, nakki lake, mt abu

Next morning started our Mount Abu Sightseeing.

Our first stopover was Om Shanti Bhawan which has a huge assembly hall called the Universal Peace Hall. The institution providing meditation facility was established in 1983 with an objective of educating and enlightening people about peace, spirituality and Paramatma (meaning ‘the Almighty’ in Sanskrit).

Universal Peace Hall, Om Shanti Bhawan, Mount Abu

Adhar Devi Temple – The temple is situated on top of a hill and you need to climb 365 steps to reach there. It was a hard but rewarding task as the view from top is very nice. The temple is built along a natural cave has unique structural feature inside.

Adhar devi temple, Mt abu

Dilwara Temple – This is the brightest jewel on the crown of Mount Abu. This Jain temple is famous for its stunning and exquisite marble carvings all over the interior walls, columns and ceilings. Unfortunately, the temple authority does not allow camera inside. Charges for camera and mobile deposit was Rs 50/- per person.

dilwara temple, jain temple, mount abu

Achalgarh Fort – The ancient fort town of Achalgarh was not originally had the present name. It was initially built by the Paramara Dynasty in the early medieval period. Later it was renovated by Rana Kumbha but most of the structures are in dilapidated condition. There is a temple of Lord Shiva known as Achaleshwar Mahadeva temple where devotees still offer worship regularly. The taxis (jeeps) to Achalgarh are available from the stand near Dilwara Temple. Each taxi carries 6-8 passengers and fare is Rs 800.

The same taxi will also take you to Guru Shikhar, the highest point of Aravalli Range. The peak is about 5600 ft from the sea level. The journey to Achalgarh and Guru Shikhar was remarkable and so was the view from Guru Shikhar.

Mt Abu, Guru shikhar, highest peak of Aravalli

After a daylong sightseeing in Mt Abu we returned to our hotel for lunch. Post lunch session was most memorable because of sunset viewing from the Mt Abu Sunset Point. We reached early, before 5 pm, as our tour guide warned us that crowd will start gathering after 5:30 and you may not find a convenient position if you don’t go early. He was correct. When we reached at around 4:45 I merely saw a few couples here and there. I was so absorbed in enjoying the view down the hill I didn’t notice when the place was filled with so many people. To my surprise, the place was jam-packed with sunset viewers after 5:30 pm.

Mt Abu sunset, mount abu sunset point

When the sunset was over we went to Nakki Lake before returning to hotel and thus ended my “gazab ka din” at Mount Abu. J In late November, the nights were cold in Mt Abu even though the days were hot just like any other places in Rajasthan. As the night grew older the wind became chillier and I went to bed with my socks and scarf on under the blanket. 🙂

By the way, before I stop here is the song for you.

Disclaimer: Dilwara Temple and Nakki Lake (day) images are taken from the internet. 

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Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Afloat

Boating, Naini lake, Nainital , float

Life is a tide; float on it. Go down with it and go up with it, but be detached.
Then it is not difficult. ~ Prem Rawat

When I saw the theme of this week’s Daily Post Photo ChallengeAfloat the first thing came to my mind is ‘water’. I always wanted to learn swimming but somehow never got a chance. So, I envied anyone and anything that I saw floating effortlessly on water. 🙂  I wish I could do that someday. And now when I finally enrolled to a newly opened swimming club in our locality I know how amazing it feels to float on the water and let loose yourself and let the water take you along the flow.

These two pictures are from the album of my Nainital Tour. It was a nice pastime for me to watch the geese swim in their own pace and…

geese, swans, naini lake, nainital,

the boats afloat the turquoise water of Naini Lake with bewildered tourists aboard.

Boating, Naini lake, Nainital , float

Happy Weekend! 🙂

Varanasi Boat School – An Ideal Learning Environment for Street Children

varanasi boat school, boat school in varanasi

Boat school! In India? How does it look like? How does it work? Questions thronged my mind when I first heard about the Varanasi Boat School. But when I watched this video on the website of Do Right, I started believing in it. See how smile and hope brighten their faces when asked what they are learning in this boat school. However, before we learn more about the boat school in Varanasi let’s take a look at the present scenario regarding education in India. Perhaps it will help us understand the need for more such schools across the country and how such efforts can make a difference.

Education is the guiding light in the darkness of ignorance. It improves our thought process and helps us to think independently without coming under the influence of any social taboos, beliefs and religious and political pressure. The first step to education is literacy. Technically, literacy means functional literacy; knowing 3Rs – Reading, Writing and Arithmetic (basic level).

Unfortunately, India has the largest illiterate population (287 million) on earth according to United Nation’s latest Education for All Global Monitoring Report. The number almost equals the entire population of the USA.

After the enactment of Children’s Right to Free Education Act in 2009, Indian government took up various literacy programmes under the supervision of NLMA (National Literacy Mission Authority). The subsequent 2011 census report says the national literacy rate has grown to 74% (Male – 82%, Female – 65%) while the global rate being 84%.

Another disturbing fact is that India, despite having a large percentage of young population, stands 112th on Global Child Development Index 2012 (based on Education, Health and Nutrition rate among children). The rank dropped from a previous 103rd position in 2004.

The above stats are alarming! Lack of education is, perhaps, the biggest challenge in India at present.

Lack of education -> ignorance -> unprotected sex -> overpopulation -> poverty -> malnutrition, unemployment -> increasing crime rate

It seems like a chain reaction the root cause of which is ‘illiteracy’. Many poor families are reluctant in sending their children to school. Instead they would put them into work and make them earn for the family. This is the most painful thing to see children begging for alms on the street or child labourers who have sacrificed their childhood too early.

Therefore, free education for poor children is the need of the hour.

Perhaps it is a mammoth task for the government to improve educational infrastructure so that basic education can be provided for free to every child in the lower strata of the society and ensure a better life for them. The government is working although the success rate might not be satisfactory. But should we just blame it on the government and sit back thinking it’s not my problem? Or is giving alms to street children the solution?

Can’t we, the common people do anything to make a difference for our under privileged children? Yes, we can.

More private efforts and initiatives are needed to make India a better place. Varanasi Boat School is a unique endeavour by Mr Ajeet Singh and his NGO ‘Guria’.  This innovative educational campaign has been named as – Do Right. This novel initiative is taken for a noble cause – to inspire underprivileged kids in learning and education and create an environment where learning will be fun for them.

Now you might think, “Why Varanasi and not any other place”? Well, the journey of doing right is not limited within the periphery of Varanasi. Do Right has started its journey from the Rann of Kutch. After that they have worked for the street children in Pune. Now they have reached Varanasi, the cultural heart of India with an aim to create an ideal learning environment for the city’s street children. If this learning model is successfully implemented in Varanasi it can be developed in other parts of the country in future.

Started in a small scale with small investment Varanasi Boat School has already proved that it has a lot of potential. But a magical transformation is needed to perform in its full potential. The school needs renovation and expansion with larger space and more books, toys and painting kits, which is beyond the capacity of individual effort.

How you can make a difference by doing the right

More funds are required to do the right for these children – to retain the smile that Do Right has brought on their innocent faces. You can help this campaign grow and succeed by donating any amount you want. You can also inspire your friends and acquaintances in donating for Do Right and create awareness for this noble cause by spreading the message in your social networks. Please visit www.doright.in for more details about the campaign.

If you are still not confident that a small contribution can make a difference I would like to share something with you.

make a difference, varanasi boat school, do right