What do you do when you're given ₹ 5000 to shop for free?

In this era of online retail, it is such a huge relief to be able to shop for all kinds of necessities, no matter how big or small, from the comfort of one's home. Given Delhi's extreme weather conditions, rarely interspersed with pleasant days, going out for shopping has become such a Herculean task that I absolutely abhor setting foot in crowded markets and prefer buying all I possibly can from the Internet. Now there is quite a lot of competition in the online buy-and-sell market, but I believe Quikr.com is fast outclassing its competitors to become the ultimate one-stop shop for anything and everything you wish to buy or sell, from used stuff lying around your home to that car or pet animal, right up to commercial products that you own a business of.

It goes without saying, then, how joyful a moment it was when I received an email from Blogadda inviting me to participate in their latest activity wherein I'd have to shop from Quikr.com for ₹ 5000 (that will be reimbursed later on) and blog about my experience. Here goes then.

I logged in to Quikr with the intention of finding a second hand smartphone, preferably Micromax, to keep at home as a spare phone for emergencies like the breakdown of one of our personal phones. I keyed "Micromax mobile phones" in the Search box and chose the filter "Ads posted in last 24 hours". I also customized my search by selecting the price range of 0 to 5057 rupees (the nearest figure to 5000 that I could manually set). Finally these results showed up.

One of the mobile phones I was interested in buying, as the location and price fit the bill well.

I found 3-4 phones that fit my requirements, so I noted down the numbers of the individual sellers from the respective ad pages on Quikr and called them up one after the other to inquire. It was however my bad luck as none of the phones were still for sale - they had all been sold already! Dejected, I began racking my brains for some other things that my family members or I could possibly need. And then it hit me - exercise equipment!

This time round I tried a different approach. Browsing through the various sub-categories listed under "Home and Lifestyle" category, I selected the "Sport - Fitness Equipment" subcategory. I also applied all the same filters as in the previous search (although I later increased the price range to 6000 to get a wider choice of exercise bikes). I further opted for the filter "Posted by Dealer", for I thought it more prudent to purchase brand new exercise equipment as it would be sturdier and also carry a warrantee.

Left Side Panel where you can choose different filters and categories.

After much browsing, I zeroed in on an exercise bike which was listed for ₹ 5,500.

The Quikr listing of the exercise bike I selected. It was listed at ₹ 5,500 when I made the deal, but the price has been removed now.

Although it exceeded my limit of free shopping, I thought what the heck! If I'm buying something, I'd rather buy the best I can find. A meager 500 bucks that are not reimbursed won't make any difference to the pleasure of owning the Air Bike Platinum Dx. So I called up the dealers, KS Healthcare, on the number listed in the ad and inquired about the product. A time and date for delivery was fixed, and even though the delivery came more than a day late due to paucity of staff, the bike eventually arrived at my place yesterday.

The price tag of ₹ 5,500 as listed against the bike earlier has since been removed, however. So if you'd open the same ad page now, it doesn't quote a price at all. The phrase "Contact for Price" is mentioned in place of price on all the listing pages across the website, as the one in the screenshot below.

I assume it must be something between the dealer and Quikr.com. I personally paid the dealer the exact amount I had seen the product listed for (I wish I could've bargained though! :D) The bike is tentatively perched in the lobby of my home for now, and it works just fine. The delivery guy gave me a proper receipt with the taxes etc in place, so I'm warranted against malfunctioning of the bike for at least a year.

My shopping experience on Quikr was an interesting mix of good and less than good. Here's a quick low-down:

Plus:

1. The site lists almost everything you can think of buying or selling for everyday use as well as specialized purposes. Be it Diwali shopping for gifts or regular shopping for electronics, home furnishings or even real estate, you'll find it all there. My mom, personally, has become a huge fan of Quikr.com lately.

2. It also has a provision for listing services (which I've earlier made use of by listing my father's services as a doctor) which makes its coverage of people's needs much more comprehensive.

3. The provision of various filters and categorical division of products makes it mighty easy to sort through undesirable stuff and find a product matching your requirements quickly.

4. One doesn't even have to register on or login to the Quikr website in order to make purchases (though you will have to do so if you are a seller). It is quite a welcome change from the usual online retail websites where you have to register, login, save your contact and payment details etc. Hassle-free shopping, dealing directly with the seller - I loved it.

Minus:

 1. You might have guessed already - the listed prices of the products tend to change/disappear from one day to another! One moment a product appears on top of the search results, and 6 hours later that same product may be difficult to find even after applying suitable filters. I do not know the exact mechanism behind these listings, but Quikr administrators could probably do something about this. It just makes browsing difficult if you plan to do it in 2-3 sessions, that's all. No grudges.

2. There needs to be a mechanism wherein Quikr guys ensure that an ad of a product that has been sold off is removed from the website immediately. I had a hard time buying a phone as every person I called had already sold their product. It cost me unnecessary call balance and time and energy, and to what avail? None.

3. There is some flaw in the dating system for the ads. Every one of the people I called regarding the phone claimed to have put up their ad several weeks/days ago, while Quikr.com listed each of those ads as having been posted within the last 24 hours. In conjunction with Minus #2, this makes for a less-than-pleasant shopping experience as it chips away at the buyer's time and energy and leads to frequent disappointment. This should positively be worked on.

In short, if I were offered to take a go at it again, and this time with no promises of reimbursement, would I shop from Quikr? HELL YEAH. 

* * *

(This post is a part of Quikr.com activity at BlogAdda.com)

Book Review: Wings of Courage by Sanjay Kumar

It's been a while since I wrote on the blog. Let not that make you believe I haven't missed writing. It's just that, whenever I had a story idea in mind, my internet went for toss. And when the internet was working, I'd no longer have the time or inspiration to write. I had all but given up on this blog, when along came motivation in the form of a book review that I lunged at to break free of this spell of literary inactivity. 

Wings of Courage is a novel that aims at making its readers sit back and think. It puts forward the author's vision for a better India of tomorrow - low on crime and hatred, high on humanity and justice. And it does so by means, not of the Shashi Tharoor-esque visionary writing and idealization, but through a fictional thriller of a plot that draws on recent real-life incidents to drive home the author's idea of an ideal India. 

Penned by debutant author Mr. Sanjay Kumar (you can find him here), the book comes at an opportune time as India is currently witnessing a massive social upheaval buttressed by people's assertion of their rights as citizens and human beings. The Indian society is afflicted by a host of issues today - atrocities and discrimination against women, corruption in politics and public services, road rage, bribery, honour killings, social apathy and a general lack of humanity. These social evils aren't isolated incidents, but have deepened their roots into the very fabric of our being and thus affect us all as members of society, making our world a scary place to live in. Normally a country's government and security agencies would be concerned about ridding the society of crime and social ills, but when the political class itself has become an integral part of the entire setup, the onus of social change and reform comes down to the common people.

What our society needs today is for these very common people to realize what an infinite potential they hold inside them to change their life conditions and those of the world around them. Wings of Courage is a worthy step by the author towards fulfilling his responsibility in that direction and bringing awareness to young readers. By picking up incidents that have come to light in recent times, evoking public hue and cry and mobilizing the youth towards social causes, the author establishes an instant connect with his target audience - the youth which is full of energy and dissent towards social and political injustices.

The story starts with an introduction of its main characters Saksham, Divya, Asif and Aditya, a group of final year students looking forward to lucrative corporate careers, far removed from any realization of how the big bad world out there works. Their lives and friendships are transformed forever when Asif and Saksham board a bus one night. Here the author has successfully tried to give a fresh perspective on the recent tragic gang-rape incident by recounting, from the eyes of two passengers of that fateful bus, the events that preceded the gang-rape of the hapless young woman on 16th December 2012. The realization and the immense guilt that follow the next day when Saksham and Asif hear of the incident that occurred after they alighted from the bus the previous night, set the base for a series of episodes throughout the rest of the book where Saksham demonstrates the potential of a responsible common citizen towards ridding the society of its problems.

As the story progresses, the protagonist Saksham goes on to become a new-age hero - a harbinger of change. In collusion with the Almighty (yes, there's a slightly unreal twist to the story - Saksham can actually talk to God!) he tries to understand the problems of the world and to find out solutions to them. Several common problems like hit-and-run, petty corruption, bribery, political apathy and farmers' plights have been dealt with in a comprehensive and solution-oriented manner by the author. The book is gripping, interspersed with philosophical discourse, romance and even a hint of idealistic banter, yet not so much as to bore the reader. The end is a bit too dramatic for my taste, but it seemed like the only suitable end to the story and hence, gets a pass.

Having personally been involved in social work all of my adult life and being a reader and an observer, I know how deeply rooted our society's problems are. And yet they aren't irreparable. It could be a change as little as turning around your personal life, or as big as cleansing the country of corruption, but it's ultimately the action you take that matters, and not mere knowledge or intention. For me that is the mantra of the author that comes out well throughout the book.

The book is 312 pages long, priced at INR 250 and can be purchased here. Considering that it is the author's first book and his treatment of such sensitive subject matter is laudable, I would give it a rating of 3.5 on 5. Keep writing, Mr. Kumar!

Humans of India - Show some humanity towards the elderly, could you?

It was a cold winter night in the middle of January. I'd been trying to settle into an early-to-bed-early-to-rise regime for some time and my body clock was taking its own sweet time falling out of the erstwhile awake-all-night pattern. So despite having been utterly exhausted and lying in bed for well over two hours, I was wide awake when, at four in the morning, I heard a shuffling sound in the room. I opened my eyes and looked up somewhat cautiously. I couldn't see anything at first, but as my eyes gradually adjusted to the faint light of the AllOut, something came into view. A tall white figure was roaming around tentatively. For a couple of seconds it loomed large over my head like a wraith. My blood ran cold. I stayed as still as I could under the blanket, my eyes fixed on the figure all the time. It seemed to have lost its sense of direction; I heard it bumping into pieces of furniture twice before disappearing behind the curtain into the lobby.

I was left to wonder whether it was even real or just my morbid imagination playing games with my tired mind. As I was trying to figure out what to do, it suddenly struck me like a bolt of lightning. It was my grandfather. It had to be him! It was so typical of him to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. For a second I felt stupid for not having thought of it earlier. (Wraiths? Seriously?)

As I lay there mentally berating myself (while secretly thanking my stars for no scary surprises) I heard another loud bump that brought me back to my senses. I jumped out of bed and groped my way into the lobby where I found grandpa fumbling around in the dark. I flicked on the light; he was taken aback and instinctively recoiled from me. I could sense how visibly shaken he was. I told him very gently who I was and where he was, and saw his expression gradually turn into one of relief, along with a hint of a sheepish smile. He told me how grateful he was for my having found him, else as he put it, "I would have kept lumbering around the house all night long - perhaps fallen down a few times and broken a bone or two". It was a depressing thought to picture. I escorted him back to his room and after making absolutely sure that he was safe, I went back to bed. But his scared and helpless face haunted my thoughts all night long. It made me sad, worried and, quite frankly, gave me the creeps too. It would suffice to say no sleep was had that night.

Why I am reminded of this bygone instance today is a particular article I read this morning in The Hindu. It was aptly titled 'The myth of Happy Old Age' as it very blatantly pointed at the sheer indifference and apathy with which people are treating their elders in India today. It made my heart bleed and my soul cringe to read through the lines - the nauseating reality of old age abuse recounted by elderly persons who are either forced to live with humiliation and penury in their own children's homes or left to die in old age institutions. HelpAge India, a charitable organization that has been tirelessly working for the welfare and rehabilitation of India's aged population for decades, recently released a report on elder abuse in India. The report is scathing in its disclosure of some shocking statistics on elder abuse in major Indian cities, which is surprisingly more prevalent than most of us would think.

It is as heart-rending as it is frustrating to realize what an uncaring, unfeeling and detached society we have turned into. Globalization, modernization, nuclearization of families and many such reasons could be given to explain why it is no longer practicable to care for the elderly or give them a place in our homes anymore. But all those foreign-adopted big words aside, are we no longer decent enough or even human enough to love our own elders and take care of them when they need us the most? It beats me how one can expect 60 or 70-year-olds - with their cataracts and knee pain, hearing and vision loss, fatigued hearts and countless other problems that ail their minds and bodies - to fend for themselves in a world where even hale and hearty people have to bite the dust so often? It saddens me to see the state our society has been reduced to, especially so in my own country. We take utmost pride in our cultural heritage, superior social institutions and traditional roots that are unlike anything seen anywhere else in the world. And yet, if one were to take a closer look, does that connection to our roots really exist anymore or is it just a subject of rosy fables?

I must quote a few lines from the poignantly written article from the newspaper to drive home my point.

Abuse, choked within and caged in silence festers like a sore. Fear and helplessness that there is no one else to depend upon and few to report to, adds to the penumbra of silence.

They point out quietly that old age has become a commodity. The younger generation commodifies old age by seeing the old as sources of pension, property, income. The old are like the goose that must lay the golden eggs and move on. Waiting for the old to die seems an unnecessary inconvenience. Yet, when the old have nothing more to give, they are seen as dispensable. Keshav, a 65-year-old from Kolkata, complains that his wife and he are constantly abused because they do not earn. His wife cooks for the entire family and yet they have to plead for a fair share of the food. Worse, as the report notes tersely, “even requests for medicine or clothes are met with taunts of their impending deaths and termed as a ‘waste’ on them.”

As a teenager I was volunteering with HelpAge India and paid a visit to an old age home in Delhi to tie rakhis/friendship bands onto the elderly ladies' and gentlemen's wrists as a gesture of love and respect. We also put up a cultural program for them and fed them sweets with our own hands. The tears in their eyes and the smiles on their faces were priceless, though the conditions in which they lived were worse than pitiful even to a kid like me who knew nothing of the world. That childhood experience is still writ all over my mind as I write this.

Where is the respect gone that the aged once commanded in our society? Let alone respect during life, there isn't dignity even in death any longer for so many of those who are left by their families to spend the rest of their years in old age homes. Is that how we should be repaying our parents and grandparents for the care and love they showered upon us when we were kids? I fail to see how any person in their right mind could subject their own parents or family to such disgrace and suffering. It shames me to be part of a society where such injustice and indifference is meted out to the most vulnerable and weak persons without so much as a blink of an eye. A society where the poor and the backward classes are little else but votebanks, and the elderly are nothing but commodities to be used and subsequently discarded when they stop serving their purpose.

My family is nowhere near perfect. It has seen its fair share of conflict, feuds and family politics, but at the end of the day it is still family. I am lucky enough to have three out of four grandparents alive. My nanaji (maternal grandfather) passed away 5 years ago at the age of 89. I had only ever known him in his old age, so I was a witness to his slow transition into a vegetative state over the years. He used to bring us candies and imli when we were younger. Then he got bedridden and stopped recognizing us. Gradually he stopped recognizing his own children. He would greet everybody warmly, but seldom recognize anybody except his wife and eldest daughter. It was a pain to watch him deteriorate thus. Once he went out into the night without anyone's knowledge and didn't return. Search parties went out the next morning and he was eventually found, comatose, in a park. He contracted pneumonia and we started losing him even quicker after that. 6th June 2009 was the fateful day; I remember how I cried. I was surprised at my own burst of emotions.

To watch my dadaji (paternal grandfather) exhibit similar symptoms now is extremely depressing. I have lived the first 20 years of my life in a joint family with my dada-dadi having been the family anchor. Although we moved out less than three years ago, we still visit regularly and have them come over and live with us often. Festivals are mostly spent there with the entire family. Sitting with my dadi and hearing her recount stories from my father's childhood, even for the umpteenth time, is invaluable. My grandpa has always had a soft corner for me too; he always liked me for my witty quips and calls me one of 'his team'. My parents, through their own example, have instilled unconditional respect in my heart for them and I know I'll always value my elders and my family, no matter what.

And perhaps that is why I don't understand how these people sleep at night, having ousted their very own parents out of their homes and lives. Who tells their children stories and oils their hair? Who teaches their kids about Indian culture and values? Oh right. They don't want their children to learn any of that anymore. The household help can feed and clothe them, school teachers can take care of everything they need to learn. Who needs elders when you have money and modern institutions, right? The grandparents clearly don't serve a fruitful purpose anymore and need to be 'let off'. As in fired from the job. As in left to fend for themselves at the very age when they need emotional, financial and medical support the most.

As a teacher I often ask my students — a sensitive lot — to talk about their grandmothers, to give me details about stories they have heard or food cooked. Most of them seemed embarrassed, surprised with such intrusive questions; only one could talk of his grandmother’s pickles with a zest that summoned a whole sensorium. For most of them, grandparents have become occasional question marks, ritual burdens. Few have recollections of stories told, preferring the narratives on TV or the Internet. It is almost as if grandparents are like creatures out of Tussauds; features that can be ignored. I asked one student to describe the touch of her grandmother. She almost felt repulsed exclaiming, “God, she is so old and scaly.” An absence of memories and ethos of sharing disrupts the ecology of old age. Dignity has become a rare word as abuse becomes the sociological constant.

If that is what modernity does to people - make them selfish, individualistic and thankless - then modernity be damned. I'd rather be old-school and not lose out on my values and humanity. And what lessons do children really learn from such acts of indifference and cruelty on part of their parents towards their grandparents? It is no wonder that the trend is perpetuating so fast. The couples who turn out their parents are most likely to meet the same fate at the hands of their own children one day. On the contrary, a lesson of love, care and gratitude towards the elderly, if taught by example, will foster a responsible and kind future generation. It isn't for nothing after all that the proverb goes, "as you sow, so shall you reap".

Elders are a social and cultural, if not economic, asset. They are worth being honoured, respected and taken care of, not only because they are the ones who for the longest time sacrificed their desires and comfort for your wellbeing, but also because they are dignified individuals and equal members of the society. They deserve the same respect as any younger earning member of the society would command. If their age accounts for anything, it must be to accord them extra privilege, as a tribute to their years of service to society and to ease the physical and financial troubles that invariably accompany old age and retirement. That's what we, as humans and responsible citizens of society, must accomplish in order to achieve the satisfaction of having done our duty as human beings, children and parents.

For teeth that sparkle White, try the power of Black.

The last week was full of fanfare and excitement thanks to BlogAdda and their #WhatTheBlack campaign that unfolded one teeny little hint at a time. It all started with an e-mail in my inbox that said I had been selected for the activity as part of which I'll receive one never-seen-before item at my doorstep for each of four days starting 31st July. Each item was to be a hint to help unravel what the final day (the 5th) would bring to my door. Needless to say, I was instantly intrigued and stirred out of my self-imposed moratorium from social media and blogging.

There were some minor setbacks - a few bloggers didn't receive all their items (including me), there were delays and the activity had to be concluded in 4 days instead of 5 - but given the extremely short timeline earmarked for the activity and the countless products that had to be delivered everyday to so many bloggers' homes, it was indeed a humongous task that the BlogAdda team completed quite admirably. And it was a very interesting activity after all, that kept all participants constantly on the edge, making the most random of guesses until the secret of the final product was finally revealed. It made all of our minds hit the mental gym and start working out vigorously for a good 3-4 days. And that's always a good thing for writers - keeps the creativity flowing. It was a great campaign too - seriously, just look up #WhatTheBlack anywhere on social media and you'll know what I'm talking about. It was truly sensational! 

We bloggers are one hell of a powerful lot. Kudos to us!

Here's a slight glimpse of the items I received :D

*Surprise surprise!*
A beautifully wrapped black box hand-delivered at my doorstep on the first morning!

And what was inside of it?
A black painted solid egg-like object which stained my hands black :P

Peeking a little bit under its shell revealed an actual, solid DARK CHOCOLATE EGG.

And THAT was the message attached to the first item - to find out #WhatTheBlack was going on from Hint #1.

And this, my friends, was received on the afternoon of Day 2 -
A newspaper called WHATTHEBLACK TIMES with its colours reversed, ie, white print over black paper.
And with odd news items hinting towards various fictitious occurrences relating to Black objects!
It had me racking my brains for a good couple of hours.

The Indian Cricket team sporting black clothes? That's bizarre and never happened before.
I kept wondering what it could possibly be hinting towards.
As it eventually turned out, it was just a ruse to throw us off the scent of the real secret :P

Another ruse - black balls supposedly being introduced in
Cricket matches in place of the conventional white and red ones.
This one had me thinking the next item would probably be a round object,
possibly a ball or something else related to cricket :P
I couldn't have been more off the mark! :P

I waited and waited the entire next day but nothing arrived. I was really disappointed to say the least. It felt almost like it used to when in my childhood days, my father would turn up at the door at night after work without a bag of goodies in his hand for me. I used to get really cross at him and sometimes even ask him to go back, since he hadn't brought me anything like he did everyday. Sigh, I miss those beautiful days of innocence. But I digress.

And so, since I never received my Day 3 objects, here's some pictures I very cleverly stole from some fellow bloggers' posts to give my readers a glance at what the third day entailed. (With due credits to the owners, of course.)

Day 3 - If it wasn't a tea cup and a black tissue! Indeed, what else could it have been!
Confused? Scroll down and you'll know why this was so obvious given what the final item was.
Courtesy my dear friend Sushmita's FB post.

And what did the final day bring with it? What's that black, bristly thing you see there?
Again, courtesy Sushmita. Go say hello to her here; she's a chirpy little fellow!

1

The all new Colgate SlimSoft Charcoal Toothbrush. That was what the hints had been pointing at all along!
And really, it wasn't so hard to guess - I wonder where my creative juices have disappeared lately. I need to pull up my socks.
Wonderfully captured here by Mr. Rahul Prabhakar @RahulRishab (Check him out on Twitter)

Here's the deal. The chocolate egg represented all the bad things that erode our dental health and cause the formation of plaque. The significance of the newspaper I'm not so sure of, but it probably pointed towards an activity we do as part of our daily morning routine. Like reading a newspaper. Or brushing our teeth (you see what they did there?) The next was a tissue paper and a tea cup. That represents your breakfast and daily morning cuppa, which stains the teeth and overall causes more damage than all you regular tea-coffee-drinkers can even imagine. So all the hints basically pointed towards an object that you use in the morning and is related to the teeth. And the final item, no prizes for guessing anymore - was none other than the new Colgate SlimSoft Charcoal Toothbrush, which takes pride in its unique micro slim-tip Charcoal-infused bristles that succeed in reaching deeper between your pearly-whites and remove plaque better than ordinary bristles.

I received the toothbrush only yesterday and I am in love with the super soft bristles that are perfectly gentle and suited to my extra-sensitive teeth and gums. This is admittedly the first toothbrush I have used in years that is originally meant for adults. Yes, you heard me right - I use kids' toothbrushes. The ones with the Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy figures and rainbow colours. No, I do not have pedophilic or childish fetishes - I just have sensitive teeth and have been recommended by the dentist to use small-headed and soft toothbrushes. Larger heads and harder bristles make my gums bleed.

But evidently not any more! Because Colgate SlimSoft is pretty light, with cotton-soft bristles and a medium-sized head that doesn't cause any stress to my teeth or gums. So I might as well supplement my daily brushing regime with this new addition (it isn't even expensive!) - of course not letting go of the cute kiddie stuff though. They're cute.

So this has been fun and an interesting week that was. I hope more such campaigns keep happening in the blogosphere. BlogAdda, I hope you're listening!

Till the next time, keep brushing your teeth twice a day to avoid that emergency visit to the dentist. And keep those pearly whites flashing. You gotta smile - it costs nothing. :)

The top 5 things on my #WHATTHEBLACK List

BlogAdda has come up with the perfect contest theme for me to write about. #WHATTHEBLACK ! I have always had a special connect with the colour black. There was a time when my wardrobe was completely black. I always liked the mystery and elegance that anything black exudes. Over the years however I've come to realize how much the colour black has affected my personality and thoughts. I've since shifted on to a more colourful and vibrant attire and choice of colours in everything, but that irresistible appeal of Black remains.

So here it is - a list of five things, Black and Beautiful, that I wish for (and hopefully will have, sooner or later)!

1. A Black Rottweiler-Labrador mix

I know that's a pretty specific choice for a dog, but then you know me - I'm nothing if not particular in the things I want. I've wanted to bring a dog into the home (or four, if I had my way) ever since I first set my eyes upon one. I love all animals but I have a special, all-encompassing, overwhelming love for dogs. They're affectionate, caring, full of love and gratefulness, extremely intelligent and can make you a better person just by association. Even though I've never had my own pet dog, God knows just how many I have fed and petted over the years, and in myriad places too. As to my choice of breed, a mix between a Rottweiler and a Lab is the perfect combination of beauty, intelligence, versatility, companionship traits and affection. They're highly adventurous, confident and self-assuredly aloof too. Quite like me actually. Hence the ideal choice for me.

Overdose of cuteness! Need I say more?

2. A Black Audi A5 parked in my Garage

I know that's mighty materialistic. I should rather be wishing for world peace, a solution to the crises in the Middle East, a cure to AIDS and what not. And here I am, a responsible citizen, wishing for an Audi A5 to be parked out front.

But...then...it's an Audi...*inner monologue begins*

Gorgeous.......black.......smokin' hot......Audi......*breathing heavily*.........

.......

.....

...

Ahem ahem (someone clears throat).

*jolts back to reality*

Sorry.

But I really really want an Audi A5, for its sophisticated elan and all the power it packs. It is just so my kind of a ride! I promise I'll still be an equally responsible citizen (only, now with an Audi in her garage *wink*). I promise I'll take it out for a drive only every now and then, and with my entire family and the Rott-Lab pup in it (to save fuel). I also promise to keep it covered so I don't have to get it washed that often (to save water). And most importantly, I promise to love and cherish it, honour and sustain it, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. Aayi Shapatth!

3. A Black Rose

Yes, you read it alright. I want a black rose, or better still, an entire shrub of black roses in my backyard. This rare breed of roses has held my fascination right since my teen years when I first heard of its existence. The black rose has always been the subject of endless poetry and romanticism, for the sheer mystery and charm surrounding its beautiful black hue. For me, it also metaphorically breaks the myth that beauty stems from one's colour or complexion. If a black variant of a flower, which is most popularly accepted in its red form, can be as beautiful and even more, then surely colour is just another property. It doesn't define you. So for me a black rose is the perfect embodiment of natural and untainted beauty.

4. A Black Diamond Band

I've literally grown up listening to this not so age-old (and clearly capitalist-market-fabricated) adage that diamonds are a woman's best friends. They do give a woman some happiness and a sense of beauty - those shiny little things on a finger or neck can do wonders sometimes - but that's about it. If you can afford them, then it is highly probably that every third lady around you is wearing them too, so what's the big deal? Or maybe it's just me. I've never been one for conventions. I'd rather go for a majestic big black diamond set in a platinum band. :D Because black diamond isn't pure or pristine like its fairer cousin. It is an impure form of carbon and the hardest one at that. I almost feel like it was made out of the same mould as I, separated at the time of creation, only to meet again in this earthly realm. And so, let them propah ladies be happy with them white diamonds. I've met my match - in a shiny piece of black diamond.

5. A Black-themed recreation room

This one's always been the most important aspect of my dream home. A spacious, completely white painted room, with the entire east wall made of clear glass windows, preferably overlooking a ridge or a mountain. Furnished with plush recliners and lots of bean bags all in black. A giant black home theatre system with all the necessary sound equipment of the utmost quality (thinking, Bose maybe?) along the northern wall. A fully loaded bookshelf and a reading table to the west. And towards the other end of the room, a treadmill and an exercycle; probably a couple of other exercise equipment and a Yoga mat as well. Needless to say, all in black. That is my idea of the ideal recreation and gym room that I'd want to set up when I decorate my own home. A rejuvenating vision in pure Black and White, that motivates you to sweat it out in your leisure time without losing out on the leisure either. The perfect amalgam of architectural finesse, good health and recreation. Who doesn't want that kind of bliss, now?

I don't think my wishlist of black and beautiful things is completed yet. So till the next edition of #WHATTHEBLACK comes out, ciao folks and keep the love for black flowin'!

Goa Diaries - III

It's been four months since the Goa sojourn, and yet the tiniest of details are as fresh in my mind as if it were just last week that I was lounging on Baina beach. Over the years I've been on trips and holidays to different parts of the country, with everything planned and all things in place, yet somehow I have come back disappointed and not very rejuvenated from some of those trips. This one, however, was a class apart. The beautiful weather, the sun and the rain, the sands and the sea, coco-palms and the cool breeze - they don't seem ready to leave my thoughts as yet.

In the first two days, we visited a 16th century fort, a number of beaches, explored the local market and also went on two cruises. We even found out a couple of decent vegetarian restaurants in Vasco to dine at.

It was a bright sunny morning that dawned on our third day in Goa, so we consulted the only reliable local person we knew, our driver, on where to go for the day. His name was Nagraj - Telegu by descent but born and brought up in Goa - and for his ever-so-pleasant temperament, perpetual smile and humble mannerisms, he became my favourite person for the duration of our trip. He suggested we drive out to the Sahakari Spice Farm in Curti (Ponda district), some 35 km from Dabolim, and spend a day getting to know all about spices - how they are grown, their various uses and health benefits and how they taste in a traditional Goan meal savoured in the backdrop of a lush green plantation setting.

I admit I had my doubts. I was rather sullen after the family decided in favour of the spice farm and in fact planned to stop over at a well-known local temple on the way too. I was mentally cursing Nagraj to have even suggested the place, for as I perceived it, it was going to be a boring educational tour of a dark humid spice farm followed by an obviously 'spicy' meal (I have a severe allergy to spicy food). And at the steep fee of 400 rupees a person, it seemed like a raw deal to me. And hence that stone face I put on throughout the drive. Until we stepped into the driveway to the farm.

We were welcomed in the traditional Indian way - with a generous shower of flowers, a vermilion teeka on our foreheads and marigold garland around our necks. From there, we were led on to a shed where the courteous staff served us a welcome snack and asked us to join a group of foreign tourists that was being taken on a tour of the farm. I learnt a little later that our group had its fair share of German, Swedish and Finnish tourists, all excited and ever ready to be mesmerized by the extravaganza that is Indiaaah.

We were given a walking tour of a section of the farm by a short, exceedingly sweet lady who kept cracking jokes and had us all in splits. She pointed out to various spice trees and shrubs on the way and enlightened us about their uses, special qualities and trivia. We even spotted an elephant in the woods. It was a really interesting sight, watching the foreigners get both awed and scared at the elephant's appearance.

The welcome snack - a glass of lemongrass tea, a handful of cheeslings (yum), accompanied by pamphlets on the health benefits and curative effects of various spices

Those tiny little fruits are coffee beans - red in color, really small, growing in tufts. I took away a few with me as keepsakes :D

Those tiny brown holed pods hidden behind all the leaves are cocoa pods that have been harvested for the season. Chocolate, coming from a 'spice' farm - who'd have imagined!

The Portuguese Piri Piri peppers - believed to be about 2800 times spicier than our common Indian chilli. Aaaah someone fetch water!

One of the farm's own herd of elephants, used for travelling and tourist recreation purposes.

And that would be yours truly, followed by her sister and the rest of our group.

That is a vanilla climber, if I remember correctly.
For the love of ice-creams and cakes :D

Somewhere along the way, we were met by another of the farm's staff members roaming about the plantation. He had a unique talent that he wasn't shy at all to put on display - he could climb up tall palm trees and jump from one to another with such ease as to make you think he were born and bred in the jungle. He did it twice in front of us and it was such an amazing sight to behold! The floor was then thrown open to anybody who'd like to try doing the same. A daredevil of a woman tried her hand at it...a failed attempt :P but she received a lot of applause by everyone.

The pride of the farm - their very own Tarzan (or Mowgli, if you prefer). A sure visual treat! 

For INR 600, you could opt to be bathed by an elephant for a good 10-15 minutes. From the looks of it, you wouldn't have to take another bath for at least a week thereafter. It was real fun to watch this foreigner couple get repeatedly drenched by it.

There was another unique tradition at the farm (and a rather chilling one at that). When the tour was over and we assembled back for lunch, our lady guide (in the picture above) asked each of us to turn around as she poured a cup of cold water down our spines, doused with some special oil (the name of which I can't remember now) that is said to relieve pain and fatigue. Refreshing or not, it definitely was a bone-chilling and fun experience!

The lunch was simple but sumptuous. It was served as a buffet and only organically grown farm produce had gone into its preparation. It was so delicious that I, otherwise a very picky eater, took as many as three visits to the buffet table to satiate my senses. :D We were also served shots of the locally brewed Cashew Feni (a kind of liquor) which burnt the throat but left a great taste on the tongue. It was quite potent too, making me realize why it is such a major attraction of Goa.

After having had our fill, we proceeded to purchase a few bottles of essential oils like lemongrass and almond from the shop within the complex. Upon leaving, we were each presented with a cute little packet of dried spices like Fenugreek, Betelnut, Cardamom, Chilli, Cashew and Cinnamon, as a farm souvenir.

The souvenir - a very sweet gesture and the perfect parting present.

Having cast a doubt upon the wisdom of visiting this place in the first place, it would be prudent for me to admit now that I stepped out of the Sahakari Spice Farm with a big toothy grin and a lot of traditional knowledge and experience in my kitty. I recommend a mandatory visit to this place for anyone who plans on visiting Goa.

~

And with that, the Goa Diaries officially come to an end. Read the entire series in chronological order here. Feel free to share with fellow travellers and travel enthusiasts and/or leave behind comments if you liked what you read. ^_^