Love Thy Skin

Who does not want a glowing skin? Some people are blessed with flawless skin and some go to depths to do that glow. Sometimes we feel that why our skin does not have a mind of its own? It looks normal one day and the other day it looks dull. Summers are around and monsoons are here, now the heat continues to be unabated. You need to take care of your skin when the mercury is very high.

  The most basic skincare routine that anybody would suggest is to follow a step by step basic routine. Some of the skincare tips are:

Drink plenty of water: In summers, your body tends to lose moisture so it is important to refresh your skin by having lots of water. Drink a lot of water and let your skin stay moisturized.

Cleansing: The most basic skincare routine is cleansing. We often do injustice to our skin, that we under-cleanse and over cleanse it. Experts suggest that we should cleanse our skin twice a day, once in the morning and once in the night. Cleansing at night is important as you feel to get rid of all day’s ingrained dirt. One should avoid very cold or hot water to wash one’s face.

                         

Exfoliating: Exfoliation is the removal of dead skin cells from the top of skin. One should exfoliate once in a week. Use a skin friendly scrub and use a little amount of it to clear dead skin cells and hidden impurities. One can even try to make home-made scrubs and exfoliate to get a glowing skin.

Toning: Toning helps to close the pores on your skin and makeover to avoid dirt. Skin experts suggest that one should be strict in choosing toners as they come in various brands. One should use toners for some days and then decide whether to use it as a skincare routine or not.

Moisturizing: Moisturizing is most basic step for skincare. Depending on your skin- dry, normal or oily choose a moisturizer that suits your skin. During daytime, you can use moisturizer with SPF that works a s a sunscreen as well. For night, you can avoid using sunscreen and allow your skin to breathe.

Avoid Aerated drinks: In the scorching heat and humidity, people have the tendency to drink cold aerated drink to quench their thirst. It is better to drink fresh lime, juices, coconut water to stay hydrated. These aerated drinks contain lots of sugar, one should avoid caffeine too.

          

Apply sunscreen: Between 12 noon to 4 pm, sun rays are the strongest. One should not forget to apply sunscreen before you step out. You can choose a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more.

Eat Healthy and sleep well: The holy mantra for a glowing skin throughout the year. Apart from following the above tips, one should take a balance diet, exercise and should take a sound sleep at least 7-8 hours. Drink at least 8 glasses of water in a day.

                                    

So, enjoy summers like other seasons and stay beautiful.

Miles to go…As There Is a Way Ahead

“Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see”.

                                                                                                              -Arthur Schopenhauer

A great mind sees no barrier to knowledge. Some people are born with the intellect to change the world. Therefore, later their names are echoed in future for the rest generation to follow. Indians are born with an intellect that makes them precedent for the years to come.

Here I will be discussing about few great men from India who have made their nation proud of them by working hard and have used their knowledge for the betterment of society. Have a look in some of the inspiring stories.

Anand Kumar: Anand Kumar is a mathematician and columnist for numerous journals and magazines. Born in Patna to a post office clerk in Bihar and attended a Hindi medium government school. He has submitted papers on Number theory, published in Mathematical Spectrum and The Mathematical Gazette. He is best known for the Super 30 programme, he started in Patna.

The man was highly determined for his capabilities. He even secured admission to Cambridge University, but could not attend due to his financial conditions. But as they say where there is a will there is a way. For his diligent efforts, his work has been broadcasted by Discovery channel. He is been selected by Focus Magazine of Europe as one of the global personalities who inspire talented people.

Dr. Naresh Trehan: This man is a famous cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgeon and presently Chairman and Managing Director, in Medanta. Graduated from King George Medical College, Lucknow and went to practice at New York University Medical Center USA from 1971 to 1988. He has received various awards like Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Lal Bahadur Shashtri National Award in the medicine field. He has also awarded with Honorary Fellow Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Australia.

KC Singh: Another great mind is Ambassador K.C. Singh is a Master’s in English Literature and a Bachelor in Law. He joined the Indian Diplomatic service in 1974. He has also worked as the post of Secretary in Ministry of External Affairs.

He has served in different capacities in Indian posts /Missions Cairo in New York and Ankara and served as Deputy Secretary to the President of India (1983-87). He has even worked for different positions at headquarters like that of Joint Secretary for administration, head of Consular, Passport and Visa division and Spokesperson of the Ministry.

Karan Thapar: Karan Thapar is a renowned journalist and television commentator. He is an alumnus of The Doon School and Stowe School. He has been Editor-in-chief of The Doon School Weekly. He graduated from Economics and Political Philosophy and also a doctorate in International Relations from St. Anthony’s College, Oxford.

He has won Onida Pinnnacle Award for Best Current Affair Presenter in Chat Show and received an International Press Institute Award in the field of journalism.

G. Parthasarathy: A known author and an Indian diplomat and has worked as an Ambassador of India to Myanmar, 1992-95. He started his career as a commissioned officer and later joined Indian Foreign Service. Presently, he is a Visiting Professor in Centre for Policy Research and a Senior Fellow at Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

The inspiring stories of these men really inspire a person from within. We often see examples in social websites that a daughter or a son of an auto-driver or a vendor qualifying IAS examination or cracking IIT-JEE entrances. Knowledge and brain is given equally to each, it depends on the individual that how he takes his knowledge and use it. Knowledge has no bars, and a wise person always makes his way through some way or the other.

“Power” is the matter of concern

Lucknow is growing and so its problems. The roads are in bad shape and river Gomti is polluted. Another problem of power shortage is making conditions miserable for the residents. The residents of the city are facing power cuts at regular intervals following by water scarcity in half of the city. After the storm on 30 May, power supply in many areas is still very irregular. Areas like Alambagh and its nearby areas are not getting normalise power supplies. Load shedding is still prevailing in the city to save system from crashing during peak hours. Areas like Tehripulia, Moti Ngar, Alambagh, Rani Ganj and Naka hindola are facing prolonged power cuts. According to the LESA officials, the load of transformers at several places has been increased because of the power demand has increased.

To find a solution to the power crisis, the Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav may urge the centre to make electricity available from the discretionary quote. The Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd. (UPPCL) officials have prepared a letter to be sent to the centre on behalf of the CM. It is estimated that UP gets at least 1500 MW of power from discretionary quota but could not get more power because of grid constraints.

Besides power shortage, another crisis is of water supply that is affecting the city. On Monday, a sharp scarcity of water was noted in the areas of Purana Qila, Kashyap Nagar and Kalyanpur. Residents are also complaining that there is no water supply for two long days. In many areas, dirty water is being supplied. As we all know that, water and electricity are two major needs of human, for rich and poor both.

With the announcement of the results of General Elections 2014, the city folks are in hope that    “Achche Din Aane Wale Hain”, but it seems that “Achche din” are far away.

Lucknow is the state capital and it is the duty of Lucknowite and government to save it from degradation. Our dream is to make Lucknow clean and green. The beauty of the city should be alive again. It is our city, our pride. So, wake up people. 

Bhutan: A kingdom of happiness

From the inspiring beauty of Paro Valley to the streets of Thimphu, Bhutan is a Himalayan kingdom where people pride themselves on their happiness quotient. Situated close to the border of West Bengal, Bhutan is the shortest distance foreign land that can be visited. Bhutan looks as a unique piece of land surrounded by wall of mountains. It looks like a fantasy ending at Paro Airport, an international gateway to Bhutan, is locked by land on all sides. Bhutan is the last kingdom in the world by neighbouring countries like China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sikkim. Bhutan is rich for its scenic beauty making it a tourist destination. The flavours of the country are vibrant, red chillies are an ingredient in every Bhutanese dish. Ghos and Kiras are the national dresses of Bhutan.

The Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan is known as Land of thunder Dragon due to the experience of storms because of Himalayas. The country is blessed with nature’s form of rivers flowing through different parts of the country. Scenic surroundings and peaceful environment are not only factors that encourage 

Bhutan tourism. The culture dominated by old traditions, rich heritage of local people and lifestyle make the country a charming place.

Plums cafe and Druk in Thimphu serve traditional Bhutanese fare like Chicken chowmein, delicious momos, spicy Datshi (national dish of Bhutan) in different versions. In the streets of Thimphu, there is a Swiss Bakery that offers delicious almond cakes and rum cakes. The hotels in the country offer picturesque view of the mountains and access to shopping and entertainment. The clock tower road in Thimphu has variety of shops selling antiques and grocery items. The textile is world famous and is quite expensive. A weekend market takes place from Friday to Sunday, on both sides of Wang Chhu.

Bhutan tour packages are available to visitors for tourism and as it is one of the romantic places. For honeymoon couples, Bhutan trip is enthralling. A stroll through the towns and cities can be an unforgettable experience for you. Bhutan is a land that can be explored in your way. One can go for scenic nature or explore the big cities and restaurants. In Bhutan, one does not need a travel guide, but one can visit top sites like Paro, Phutentsholing and Punakha. One can go for an elephant ride or jungle safari and can then start for Phutentsholing. Evening is the time to explore local markets. Other places like Buddha View Point, Memorial Chorten, National Library and Punakha Dzong are the site scenes which are included in the package.

The best time to visit Bhutan is from October to May when the climate is sunny, as in December and January snow may block mountains, and travel is therefore restricted.

How to reach Bhutan?

By road: Bhutan can be reached from west Bengal. Buses and cars are available from Siliguri. One can take Jalpaiguri train to Phutentsholing, it takes three hours to reach the station.

By flight: Flight to Paro international airport is available from Delhi, Kolkata and Kathmandu.

Fuss Over a Politicians Love life

With Digvijay Singh’s acceptance of his affair with journalist Amrita Rai, the news has created a lot political storm. This is not happening in our country for the first time that an old man going after a young woman. Every other man is doing the same. All news channels were on high on volume, when the news was telecasted highlighting Digvijay’s alleged affair with Raj Sabha TV journalist. Digvijay is not the first politician to be smitten by a TV anchor. Digvijay Singh, who is 67-year old, is also a widower. On the other hand, Amrita a grown woman at 43, married to Anand Pradhan.

Here is the scenario: With this election season in its last phase, this news of Digvijay’s relationship has raised many eyebrows.  Every second man is making a fuss out of it. Where does age and morality comes in the picture? As we all know that we live in a nation, where extra-marital relationships, relationships having huge age differences are considered as next to committing a crime. Later on, no matter what will be the result but a huge hype is created in channels, interviews and social media. As we are aware of that famous tagline, “A lot can happen over a cup of coffee”. But here it seems a lot more to happen over channels when those cuddly selfies were leaked and went viral on social media.

The angle of the story is like that they both have decided marry each other. Every person has a right to have a second chance to love and romance. The reason why nobody is bothered for this masala news, as Digvijay is the Congress most loyal retainer and he has its own league. He is also one of the the most disliked public defenders of Rahul Gandhi. To harm his public image, is like targeting Congress.

Are we not aware about the secret relationship of Kashi Ram with Mayawati? This is not new to politics. I guess it is high time people should concentrate on the upcoming results, as things like this come and go. So, move on people.

Pep Up Yourself with Peppy Beats

For some music is passion, for some it is a means to relax in a leisure time. For some it is life. Have we ever given it a thought that if there would be no music how would have been our lives? Music is everywhere. It is within us. When we wake up in the morning, we hear birds chirping. Even while taking a shower we humm some song that is hit on the chart-busters. In terms of music, our bollywood industry is also very mainstream. With so many songs released every week, the music industry is considered to be the most popular and entertaining.

This year 2014, the box-office entered with more of a culture based film “Dedh Ishqiya” with not so great shayaris. The industry is known more for masala beats, party numbers which can be played in any party or we can listen while going for a long drive. The youth like more of lively songs like from the film “Hasee Toh Phasee”, a light romantic comedy film which was quite entertaining with Parineeti’s power packed performance. The film hit the box-office in the month of February. The awesome emotional love song “Zehnasseb” sung by Shekhar and Chinmayi Sripadaa which soothes your ears. The song is sung beautifully and is written by Amitabh Bhattacharya, which adds magic to it. Other songs like “Drama Queen” and “Punjabi Wedding Song” were hit as the wedding season was on.

The month of February was entertaining with a mix bag of release like Highway, which turned to be a pleasant surprise. The film does not have enough songs, but the background score was melodious, the film showed the beautiful concept of travelling. The music of the film was quite pleasant to the listener’s ears. The song “Pataka guddi” is a difficult song to sing, but is altogether beautifully sung portraying the character of female lead of the film. Another popular song is “Maahi Ve” sung by A.R  Rehman, it is song to be sung aloud during a journey in high volume. The efforts of A.R .Rehman, Resul Pookutty and Amrita Pritam are definitely remarkable.

Another most appreciated movie so far of the year is Queen. The film’s whole credit goes to Kangana, for her fabulous acting, giving a positive message to women on how to be independent. The songs like “London Thumakda” are the perfect wedding number to dance. The other song “O Gujariya” is also liked by female listeners. The film took all the applause as it was released on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

These were some of the songs of Bollywood films, another horror flick released in March was Ragini MMS-2 which was the most awaited film due to many controversies. The song “Baby Doll” has a lot of oomph factor featuring Sunny Leone. The song was a chartbuster within a week of its release. The song was sung by Lucknow lass Kanika Kapoor. Another hit music “Chaar Botal Vodka” was another hit among Honey Singh’s fan.

The next most talked about release was Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt starrer 2 states whose soundtrack has resulted quite classy. Composers Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Amitabh Bbhattachary have handled the musical affair indeed well. The song Offo sung by Aditi Singh Sharma, has a sound of a prom night. It makes the song catchy. Another feet tapping track Locha-e-ulfat grabs your attention.  The beats of the song are integrated well with the voice, making it the USP of the song. Its lyrics make the song urban which goes well with the genre of the film. The soulful track Mast Magan, has a Sufi touch, did not made to the chartbusters but the song is heard after the film has been out of theatres.

Music will always be on high. The response of these latest released tracks was overwhelming. As listening to your favourite songs is always a delight.