Beauty Hidden in Western Ghats; The Lavasa City

Pune hugged me in the warmth of December. Yes! The warmth of December!! I am a typical North Indian, used to a temperature below 10 degrees in winters. November till February is the time of winters in India. But note it down that winters are not same in every part of the sub-continent.  When north is chilled in temperature below 15 degrees the South is still warm at 25degree Celsius but still considered cool as summers raise very high.  Lying on almost equator Pune is warmer and is one of the most loved cities in Maharashtra. I stepped down here in December and could feel the warmth very well. Just married I was very excited about the journey ahead.

I was already in the mood to explore the city when my husband made a plan for the Lavasa city. Pune, though a technical city but at the same time is quite traditional. The Western Ghats embrace this city to give it a beautiful touch. From Pune, the hills of Western Ghats welcome you.

In the mid of the Western Ghats comes the Lavasa city. Lavasa city was something a totally unexplained experience. I expected the place to be good for a picnic spot but didn’t expect that the      first seen of the city would make my jaws drop down. The city was all painted with different          colors. It was as if you are in a fantasy world. You would never imagine but the hills of Western Ghats have a truly lovely place hidden in its lap.

Lavasa City is approx 200 kms from the city of Pune and approx. 194 kms from Mumbai. The best time to visit this beautiful city is in the rainy season or even winters would be good. The city is in the hills of Western Ghats. Though they are small hills but beautiful enough to win your heart. You feel yourself closer to nature as you start climbing the hills. The hilly turns starts and so does the excitement when you reach just one kilometer away from the city.

You can slowly see the bright colored multi-story buildings. There is a separate parking lot where you can park your vehicle get the view in footsteps. Reach the city and the beautiful gate and you will already start experiencing the different aura.

Get ready for a spectacular view of the colors you would never have imagined. The warmth of Pune gives you something quite cool you would love. The entry to the city is from the Lavasa International Convention Centre.

The layout of the centre, the vast space in front of it and the bright colors of the building in the background will compel you to take some brilliant clicks. No doubt if you want to be in the focus. The city is made in such a way that it is an entertainment for both families and love couples.

Consecutive to it, the beauty of the bridge will take your heart away. The infrastructure of the city will make you feel the brilliance of somewhere in London or Italy. If you are in a mood to binge there are many roadside cafés, always ready to tickle your taste buds with their delicious delicacies. And mind you the restaurants are not just any restaurants but the big brands to love in metros.

The city gives you the peace of nature plus the luxury of the city at the same time. But if you are going for a picnic in the city then make sure you go in winter season or rainy season and reach there early so that you can enjoy a full day as the city closes down at 5 pm. Next time, if you want to seek pleasure in Maharashtra do visit the beautiful and lavish Lavasa city. I am sure it will be a once in a lifetime experience for you.

Bon Voyage                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   --Payal Saxena

My career Journey

My career Journey- Open the link to read

http://www.shiksha.com/mystory-payal-saxena-how-i-made-my-career-the-challenges-and-successes-article-13402-1

It is an event, which I thought to share with you. After reading, if you think you also have something to share, you are most welcome.

A bad turns good at times

I am a normal Indian girl, possessing some positive qualities like good writing skills, optimistic attitude and by God’s grace earning on my own. But as a normal human being, I possess some negative qualities too, like being too pessimistic at times, laziness, bad in the subjects like maths and science, etc.

One of my negative qualities is that I am having a high degree of “ Procrastination”. I am damn lazy and leaves the things on tomorrow and mostly end up doing things at the last moment. Fed up of this procrastination, but still sticking on to it, I am moving on in my life.

But even your negative qualities sometimes prove to be good for you. This is a recent incident. It was 8th Nov 2016 and just the previous day I received my salary in my bank account. Though I needed to withdraw some amount, my procrastination stopped me and I decided to withdraw the amount 2 days later.

I wasn’t aware that not just mine, but the destiny and the condition of the whole country, my India, are going to change in the coming 2 hours. Our destiny was going to change in just 2 hours. I just reached my home and around 9 pm I got jolted by the latest news running across the country in e-media, print media, on-air, on broadcast and what not.

The Government of India, our honorable Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, announced to ban the currency of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 with an immediate effect to stop the free flow of black money. Now each and every note of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 has been just a piece of paper. It had no value at all, if it falls under the classification of black money. For the first time in Indian history, the middle class was laughing and rich was crying. In the midst of all this happy event and a bit of chaos suddenly something struck my mind and a happy smile crossed my face. I remembered I was going to withdraw some cash of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000, which is still lying in my bank account: safe, not just pieces of paper. Thank God, my procrastination just saved me and my hard earned money this time.

Guys, I am damn sure, there must be some events in your life too, where your bad habits too might have saved you from danger and made you smile when others were sad. Folks, if you would like to share any such incident where your negativities saved you, feel free to share with me on this platform. Would love to read from you. Your experiences, your feedback. Shoot it now!

                                -  Payal Saxena

Read books as hobby, reading books,books

Passion Of Reading Books

Reading has popped up as a hobby of every other person nowadays, but here are some symptoms which will prove, reading is not just a hobby for you. Have a scroll on it: -

1. Wants to read something whenever free: - Yes...this is your room! When others sleep in free time or go for shopping, you like to read a book, no matter how many times you have read it before.

2. Searching for next target: - Whenever you log on to the internet, you definitely try to search new editons of your favourite writers. No matter that you already know you won't find any as you were the first to just finish the latest edition.

3. Can't wait to read that book: - You can have some patience to try out your new outfit but you really can't wait to read that book you just bought.

4. Book in shopping bag too.....: - While shopping, your friends ponder over different showroom, but a small bookstall catches your eyes and you just want to rush towards it.

5. Can forget lipstick, but not your book: - You can forget to keep a lipstick in your bag, but not your book.

6. Paper Scent...Wow!!!: - When others die hard on Chanel or Hugo Boss.. for you the best frangrance is of a novel!! You smell your old novels every now and then..uummmmm! Nothing can smell better than this.

7. E- book? .....no, kindle? .......naaa.......a book.......Wow!: - You never get attracted towards kindle or e-books, for you fun is through reading paper books. The texture of paper gives you a wow feel..!!

8. A study in a house ...your center of attraction: - When you go anywhere, even your aunt's home, you search for a study. Other's eyes are on kitchen and you slip to read.

9. That cozy corner: -  Social butterflies think you are full of attitude or ego or just boring. Ignoring all, you love to sit in the corner, aloof...it's so cozy...Other's can't understand it and you can't explain it.

10. Your library...your only property: - If your clothes are used by someone, you get upset, if your money is stolen, you get worried, but if a single page of your book gets damage. IT'S A HEART ATTACK!!!!!!!!!!

11. Rain...coffee...& a book: - Rainy day....a couch beside the window.... A hot steaming mug of coffee & your eyes reading a novel...Wow!!! What else is needed!

      

         

                                                                                                                                 --Payal Saxena

Dance, emotions culture, music & dance again

Dance to the rhythm…

Anonymous said “Dance as if no one sees you”. Dance can be defined differently by different people.

For some, dance has been just some moves, for some it is just flaunting, some dance to remain fit, some dance to express while some do it just to remain fit, some connects themselves to God by dancing, for some it is meditation, and I dance to the rhythm of my heart! 

Dance exists in this world for the life came into existence. The rivers came into existence and the waves danced, trees came into existence and leaves danced, a new born came into existence and heartbeat dance, coming over to the chemistry of this biological world, Oxygen came into existence and LIFE  DANCED. It won’t be wrong if we say that anything which is live can dance.

Why to Dance: - People hardly have time in their busy life to listen to music, leave dancing. But just take a few minutes of your tight schedule and think about dance. Once just listen to your favorite track, close your eyes, and relax, in fraction of seconds, you will see your shoe tapping the floor, your nerves will start getting bounced and look your heart is already dancing. Find some tracks of the reason as to why to tap your shoe: -

1. Refreshing Dance: -

You need not be a virtuoso for this refreshing activity. Have you ever noticed, whenever you are in a mood to relax, you turn on your music system and your fingers begin to tap your lap. And after long scorching hot days, when on one fine cloudy day your finger tips touches those first few rain drops, and you see those tiny droplets trickling on your fingertips, your hands stretch automatically to fill you with that fresh air, that’s where your heart dance and ignites your body to dance automatically. Don’t you think that’s the most refreshing time. That’s what dance makes you feel!

2. Dance to remain fit: - 

 

Lose weight, tone & strengthen your body, makes it flexible, improve balance & posture, build up your confidence. Do it all with dance. Do you know 150 Pound adult can burn 150 calories by dancing for 30 minutes! Yes, that’s true. Dancing increases the level of chemicals produced in the brain to help growth of nerve cells and learning dance steps boost your memory power. Dancing helps to reduce the risk of “Alzheimer”, not only this belly dance prevents lower back issues, ballroom dance keeps the heart in shape & salsa helps lower BP and cholesterol. 

3. Dance is the oldest form of communication: - 

Bharat Muni (Father of Indian Theoritical Art) in Natyashastra tells about dance in drama in the3^rd century B.C.E.  All the classical and folk dances represent some kind of storytelling or giving a message it be Kathak, Kuchipudi, Bharatnatyam or even Bhangda.

Why Dance is connected to life:-  Apart from above given reasons as to why to dance, let me tell you the connection of dance to our culture and our life which can give more teeth to your desire to dance:-

1.       To offer to God: -

 

We all are well aware of the culture of Punjab. Apart    from the land of Heer-Ranjha and Jassi & a glass full of lassi; Punjab is also famous for its Lohri and its folk dance. When the first harvest of the year is roped off they offer this harvest to God and pray for their prosperity and they do it by their special dance form. It is there from where we get our Bhangda and Gidda on the beat of Dhol. So Bhangda apart from being a part of prayer also gives us a style of dance of Joy.

2. Mood swings: - 

Dance is not just the form of communication for us humans but for deities too. It is said that, Lord Shiva when got furious, did “Tandav” to express his anger. This Tandav was nothing but a dance form to communicate with nature that it’s time to shake its plates and create a disaster. So we now know even God communicated through dance.

3. Love: -

Dance is a big way to show your love. When you are in love, your heart dance itself. There are many dance forms which show the love between the couple like ballroom, salsa etc. Besides this, mythology says, Lord Krishna used to communicate his love for Gopis of the village through the dance itself. We all know this divine, yet romantic dance form as “Raas-Leela”.

4. Meditation: -

People don’t only dance to the rhythm of the love and beats, they also dance to praise almighty and tell how much they love that supreme power. The dance is performed by Sufi saints in the name and dignity of their lord and the dance step is a Sufi whirling.

Dance is a beautiful activity which keeps your mind and body fit and fresh. So now, when you know what dance is, its benefits and relation to our culture, when are you breaking the Floor!

                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                           -Payal Saxena

A Rain Drop

A hot wind,

In scorching heat,

Whirling on the,

Rythm of the beat.

Got the wings of the cloud,

In her new form she sang loud.

Her crystal clear body,

She noticed while a hop,

Is she forming in a new rain drop?

Pressed by her own weight,

Chill ran up to her spine,

Soon, she will be in the mud,

Is death awaiting her down the line!

Engrossed in her thoughts,

Her body slipped.

Tumbling down her body flipped.

Got mixed with mud,

With a soft thud.

She opened her eyes with a fear of death,

Instead got a fragranced breath.

She noticed blossoms caused by her,

Life with joy, heart light as fur.

Now, she realised,

Its not death.

It's her contribution,

For a new "Fresh Breath".


                                                                                                 -Payal Saxena

On My Cloud

On my cloud

While playing with the rainbow,

Didn’t realize when I slipped down.

Tried making others laugh

Instead  got their frown.     

Tried touching stone in diamond

But hard cheese was playing at other end

Tried freeing  my soul from pain

But all hands I tried were in vain

Brain surrendered but

Dreams still ran in blood.

This opened the eyes of the power

Which were at time shut.

Tears of heart melt him melt

Some compassion just crept.

Again dry heart touched some dew.

Again the world seemed to be new

The generous power heard the loud

I am back again on my cloud.

                                                                                                           -Payal Saxena