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The festive season is on in India from September -October onwards. Starting Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam, Navratri, Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Id, Diwali, Kali Puja, Bhai Dooj, Chhat Puja, then a gap and lastly, Christmas and New Year.  After an unimaginably lousy year (there's been nothing like 2020), we have  at least got something to cheer about in the last quarter. There is the shadow of Covid 19 on all festivities, no doubt, but still these occasions are excuses to preen and shine. And flaunting traditional wear is definitely the flavour of the season.  So, the saree rules for Indian ladies. Which handloom sarees have been ruling the festive ramp? Taking you through saree trends this festive season: 1. Tussar - A hot favourite since past five years, with variants like Gachhi Tussar, Ghicha Tussar, Tussar Benarasi, etc. 2. Benarasi - The glitzy old timer that has got a glamorous makeover in the recent years, and comes in variants like Tussar Benarasi, Katan...

When 2020 began, no one had imagined this year will turn out like this. At 12.00 am on Jan 1, we seem to have entered a different realm or dimension. The Advanced Level of some Jumanji-like game! COVID -19 has swamped our lives and left us shaken, tormented and gasping for breath (literally). This year we have almost bidden goodbye to travelling for leisure, watching movies in multiplexes, eating out, strolling around window shopping in malls, grooving in nightclubs, cheering at the stadium, etc. etc. Life will never be the same again, that's for sure. So what are you doing to up your game? Are you ready for the post-COVID life? You need to be prepared to do a lot of unlearning, both emotionally and physically. Wanna know what all to unlearn? Nothing in life is permanent or secure - relationships, jobs, financial standing, mental peace, good health -  all come with an expiry date.  No man or woman is an island. We need each other - physically or virtually...

Change is never easy, especially when you have to move out of your comfort zone. However, once you decide to take a new direction, you somehow begin to forge your path ahead.   You stumble, you fall, then get up and dust yourself, and walk on stronger than ever. I used to be a corporate executive working in the HR and Training departments of reputed companies. My story follows the trajectory of majority of qualified working women in India. Once I became a mother, I had to select my priorities , and I chose to give up full time employment to devote all my time to my child. First Step: Part-time Teaching  As my child grew up a little, I began to feel restless for resuming my professional life. I knew corporate jobs were out of bounds for me, as I couldn’t leave my kid with a hired help for the whole day.  Teaching and training had always been close to my heart. From childhood, I loved teaching and had wanted to become a teacher when I grew up. I had pursued...

Yes, it's tough, very tough. To keep your head above water in these troubled times of COVID 19,  is nothing short of a Herculean task. To keep plodding through uncertainty and confinement, with the threat of the disease looming over us, is an uphill challenge each one of us is facing. However, we must keep at it. Must follow precautions, guidelines, barriers. Must stay away from each other, create walls around us, must suffer the claustrophobia and the sense of imprisonment. Must stare at the possible loss of future employment and advancement opportunities. It isn't easy, but we must do it for the sake of preserving our own sanity and peace, and keep calm . Following are a few hacks to deal with the stress and tension, the despair and the gloom: Take each day at a time. Do not think about what is likely to happen in the future, don't conjure up images of hopelessness, worst-case scenarios. Just take each day on its own, live through the day. Remember, ...

So, we have entered the seventh day of the nationwide lock-down that was suddenly imposed on us to ensure social distancing. We get that it is necessary to prevent the spread of Coronavirus or COVID 19, but how the lockdown has thrown our lives into a tizzy! Though a lot of positive messages are circulating about how this period has made us pause and reflect on life's blessings, I beg to differ. I am going to be a hardcore pessimist. COVID 19 has emerged as a larger monster than terrorism and ecological disaster combined. Its cruel jaws are still very active, pulling thousands of victims into them everyday. So it is necessary for us to be holed up in our homes avoiding outside contact as far as possible. STAY AT HOME is the strict order. Granted. We are put up at home, without our support lifeline of helps, cleaners, cooks, drivers, home delivery service, restaurant takeaways and deliveries, etc. Lets see how we are coping..... Why ME? Mini wars are raging da...

Research has shown that over 70% of communication is non-verbal in nature. Which means that what you do or what you show is far more impact-making than what you say ! Yes, folks, body language or unconscious non-verbal communication matters more than we think. So, wouldn't you like to ensure that you are giving the right impression through your body language? Read on to know how.... Facial Expressions: Is your face always serious and bordering on grumpy? Do you have an invisible frown plastered on? Do you find it difficult to smile? Beware....your facial expressions are negative and indicate a surly, non-cooperative nature. Smile more often, relax your facial features.  Eye Contact: Do you avoid looking at a person while talking? Do you tend to glare? Eye contact should be maintained in case of face to face communication. In formal communication with seniors, eye contact suggests sincerity and purpose. However, certain cultures do not encourage direct eye contact...