When No One Was Looking: Whispering Shadows

             

             

                      📸: Pinterest 

When no one was looking, the afternoon sun shifted and the Palash tree, laden with crimson flowers, cast its enchanting shadows on the pale yellow wall, the paint chipped from several spots. At the same time, its fluttering leaves and swaying branches made purplish patterns on the deserted coal tar road that wound and vanished after a few meters.  

You pause to reflect, and some distant memory rushed back. 

You've always been inexplicably fascinated by the interplay of the light and shadows. In your childhood home, in that small room that stood at the corner of the courtyard, right under the guava tree, its branches resting on the tiled roof of the room, as you looked out the small window in the middle of the night, you caught the full moon peeking through the foliage. The moonbeam filtered through the checkered grill and fell on the hard floor creating black and white patterns. They seemed to coalesce into fleeting shapes, murmuring half-forgotten stories.

The whispering shadows seem to be talking, tugging at an unknown memory, churning some unexplainable emotions, tucked somewhere. They evoke a bizarre feeling, transporting you somewhere faraway, and you envision yourself somewhere ethereal —a place totally unknown yet so dearly familiar, like you have been to that place before, as though you know it like every corner of your being. 

A sparrow fluttered its wings and alighted at the windowsill, its neck making spasmodic motions, and just like that, you were snapped back to present.

You sigh and get up from the window. You have chores to do. But yet again, a memory was relived; your attention, for a change, steady for an unusually long time, your mobile phone quietly forgotten. 

The sunlight would move again tomorrow, just as quietly, just as unnoticed. And maybe, like today, you’ll again stop for a second to see it, or maybe you won’t. Either way, it will keep moving, whispering a secret, and you will keep breathing in the spaces between. 

Nutrition Drinks for Kids: Complan’s Role in Supporting Growth #63PercentMoreProtein

It's a truth universally acknowledged that when mothers get together, they mostly talk about their children. And one of the hottest topics is their children's eating habits and nutrition. Children must get a balanced diet that includes lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and a small amount of healthy fats. 

A balanced diet will provide virtually all the nutrients that children need. Here are some nutrients that are most important for kids’ growth.

What nutrients are most important for kids’ growth (source)

• Iron - This nutrient helps children make red blood cells, which carry oxygen in the body, and it helps them grow. Without it, they can get anaemia.

• Vitamin D - This builds strong, healthy bones.

• Calcium - It also builds strong bones, which store the nutrients for years.

• Healthy fats - Good kind of fats are key for brain and nerve growth. They also help with healthy metabolism, and letting the body absorb vitamins.

• Vitamin C - This nutrient helps kids build their immune systems, promotes healing from cuts and scrapes, and gets their bodies to absorb iron.

• Proteins - It builds muscles and other tissues in kids’ bodies. Plus, it helps them boost their immune systems.

How can you ensure your kid is getting these nutrients?

Conversation with a Friend: Introducing Complan

My childhood friend and I met after a long time. Two giggling girls (a story for another time) were now young mothers. As the evening darkened outside, our conversations eventually meandered towards our children.

'She doesn't eat anything. She wouldn't even chew properly. Sometimes I have to grind her food in a mixer grinder,’ my friend said.

As clichéd as it may sound, it's the truth. There comes a phase in every mother's life when she struggles to feed her child because the child wouldn't eat anything. I have experienced this personally.

And that's so stressful because it happens at a certain age that's most crucial for children's physical and mental growth. 

Making use of Complan

'What do you do to compensate?’ I asked, looking at the petite little girl who was playing with the frills of her frock.

My friend replied, ‘I have started giving her a nutrition drink.’ 

'Which one?’

'Complan,’ she said. 

A smile played on my lips at the mention of the brand because that was probably the most popular brand we had heard of. I remembered the famous advertisement: 'I'm a Complan girl; I'm a Complan boy!’ featuring Shahid Kapur and Ayesha Takia.

'I did my research before choosing it. It's scientifically formulated,’ she said as though reading my mind.

She told me that Complan has 34 vital nutrients including 100% milk protein and it contains 63% more protein than other nutrition drinks. Complan is clinically proven to support 2x faster growth.

‘And the taste?’

'She loves it!’ My friend added enthusiastically. ‘I add Complan to milk and she doesn't complain. I'm so relieved.’

Encourage Varied Food Choices

Children are rambunctious, so they need more energy. They are sometimes finicky. I remember the time when my son refused to eat anything. I would make different things but he wouldn't eat. I didn't want to waste food, so I ended up unnecessarily eating the leftovers.

They need something that tastes different from usual everyday meals. Nutritional drinks can make the milk tastier and healthier.

Conversation with a Neighbor: Exploring Nutrition Drink Options

Later on, I was talking to a neighbour. 

'Does your son drink milk?’ she asked. And I was a little surprised. I mean every child drinks milk.

'My daughter refuses to drink milk; says she doesn't like the taste. It's so difficult because milk is such a common and important part of a child's meal. I read somewhere that milk protein is important for kids.’ She informed me. And then I realized that not liking the taste of milk is not that uncommon. 

'I am planning to give her some nutrition drink, but don't know which one to choose. Adding a nutrition drink changes the taste of milk. So she might start drinking milk.’ She looked worried.

I checked the website of Complan before suggesting it. It was good to know that Complan has 34 vital nutrients including carbohydrates, proteins and fat, and is fortified with vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, vitamins A, C, E, and many more.

'I’m not sure about other drinks but Complan is a good option. You can easily add it to milk to enhance the taste. Tried and tested by my friend,’ I said.

Our child's nutrition, growth and development are extremely important, and to ensure that, we need to be extra careful about the meals we serve to our children.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the blog content are independent and unbiased views of solely the blogger. This is a part of the public awareness initiative supported by Complan.

Being an Intuitive Writer/Painter

Recently, I came across a word called paracosm.

A paracosm is a detailed imaginary world created inside one's mind. This fantasy world may involve humans, animals, and things that exist in reality; or it may also contain entities that are entirely imaginary, alien, and otherworldly.

So, basically our mind is a paracosm. And it reminds me of another word called 'Jouska', which means 'a hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head.'

If you are a writer or artist, then you'd find it familiar. We have an always-occupied mind. 

Sometimes these scene plays and conversations are so vivid that they feel like complete stories that you write inside your head. I have written many stories like this and that's probably the reason that I have turned into an intuitive writer. Some scene or photo flashes in my mind and I just start writing. Sometimes it's microfiction, sometimes a flash piece. 

And then, one day, when I was reading Flatshare, I suddenly felt like writing an epistolary story, and then I did (in Hindi). And then one night, a strange thought came to my mind, and my fingers itched to write that implausible story, and I did (Hindi). 

And it has kind of become my tendency. No matter how much I (try to) plan the plot, I eventually end up doing my own thing. And it's fun! And I'm writing too many 'ands'.

कहानी ―जो हमारे ज़ेहन में चलती रहती है, जिसे हम लिखना चाहते हैं ―कभी पूरी तरह सामने नहीं आती। हम कहानी बुनते जाते हैं और वो परत दर परत खुलती चली जाती है।

The same goes for my painting. I begin painting without any planning or image in mind. 

In fact, all my posts for Blogchatter's Half Marathon (This post is the 10th and last post for Half Marathon) are intuitive. I didn't plan my posts. 

Thus, I completed the Half Marathon. :)

Screen Time and Safe Internet for Children

Image source: Freepik

The other day, Blogchatter was having a chat session on Twitter. The topic was safe internet for kids. That was interesting and important. 

'How would your child react if there's no internet for a day?' This was one of the questions. 

'He won't react because he doesn't use a mobile phone, plus he has a very limited screen time, so one day without the internet would not make a difference. But then, he is just ten.' was my response.

How did I limit his screen time?

Thankfully, the kid has loved books since he was a baby. Later, every night before going to bed, we read a book together.

So I ask him to choose. 'Do you want to watch TV or read a book?' 

He promptly answers, 'Read a book!' and it makes me happy. 

It's not that he doesn't enjoy watching TV or working on a computer. He used to enjoy watching cartoons on mobile phone as well. I don't really remember when and why he got bored of mobile phone but I remember how we controlled television time. It was in 2019, when one day, our television remote stopped working. He was disappointed but finally understood that nothing can be done at that time. 

And then, we never got it repaired. At least we told him so. We never switch on the TV in his presence. We watched TV when he was in school or when he went to bed at night. So, in a way, we limited our screen time as well.

But kids need something for entertainment. How did I keep him engaged and entertained?

He loves sketching, so I let him watch drawing videos on my mobile phone for ten minutes or so. We enrolled him in a dance class. He isn't a good dancer but he enjoyed that session, dancing with other children. He enjoyed the time as we walked together to the dance class. And the moment when his father arrived to pick us after his evening walk. 

Books, drawing books, stationery and art supplies excite him immensely, so I bought those things for him and he would spend hours, totally engaged.

But then…

It was going well until the lockdown. After that, we had to let him sit in front of a laptop for hours for his online classes. The lockdown went on for so long that we felt the need to watch TV for entertainment. 

When he resumed regular classes last year, he was so excited that he didn't bother about TV or phone. He got busy with his new books and friends. 

So, he watches TV but for a short period. He uses the computer, but twice a week; calls it 'computer day'. He doesn't use a mobile phone. 

So, basically, what works:

Finding ways to keep him engaged.

His love for reading. He gets very excited whenever I buy a book or even receive a review copy.

His interest in drawing. We have installed a white board. So, he is mostly busy with the board and markers. Recently, he has developed a keen interest in maps. 

Communication works!

We talk to him, make him understand that too much screen time is not good. We don't just switch off the TV or computer abruptly because, well, the time is up. We ask him to do it himself.

Keep a tab

That's very important. He never watches TV or uses the computer alone. We are usually around. We encourage him to watch children's programmes. Sometimes he tries to watch random bollywood movies, but I ask him gently not to watch and he agrees. 

So, another thing that works is gentle communication. I have learned the hard way not to yell.

As children grow up, and obtain their private space, their time with internet certainly becomes a matter of concern. So, please check out Happinetz: safe internet for kids, launched by Blogchatter. It's very innovative. I will keep this in mind. 

Happinetz is a safe internet for kids box that connects to your home router wired or wirelessly. Once connected, it creates a separate WiFi which filters out age-inappropriate internet and helps you set screen time schedules for devices connected to this WiFi.

Happinetz continuously monitors more than 110 million websites and apps and is preconfigured to block more than 22 million adult and unsecured websites.

This post is a part of Happinetz - Safe Internet For Kids

Storytelling in Nonfiction: BlogchatterWritFest

If you want to engage someone, tell them stories. 

Nonfiction is not really my favourite genre, but I believe including real life experiences and anecdotes makes them more interesting and engaging. There are very few nonfiction books that I like, and I liked them for their storytelling. I always feel, storytelling is more important than the story. 

Blogchatter is conducting its 7th season of WritFest, a wonderful writing festival. So, when they announced their session on Storytelling in Nonfiction, I felt intrigued to watch it. It was a fun, insightful and engaging conversation, wonderfully moderated by Sonia Dogra. She was in conversation with Ashdin Doctor (author of Change Your Habits, Change Your Life : Your Guide to an Awesome Life, published by Harper Collins India) and Reema Ahmad (author of Unparenting: Sharing Awkward Truths with Curious Kids, published by Penguin India).

One of Reema Ahmad's statements stayed with me.

'One story is not just one story but multiple threads of different stories.'

As I feel ki, 'कहानियां कभी खत्म नहीं होतीं।'

When you're writing nonfiction, it's very important to write it in a creative way. So, how can you make nonfiction creative and more relatable?

By including real life/personal experiences: Here's an important and thoughtful point by Ashdin, 'Creativity is connecting various unrelated ideas. Getting a variety of streams of information and experiences in your life helps. The more ideas you have; the more experiences you have; the more things you're constantly learning, the more ways in which you can connect them and bring them to the forefront.'

Including real life stories and ideas makes your writing more authentic and relatable.

One more advice that I found insightful was, again by Ashdin: 'Read the competing books later (after completing the book/article) because things you read stay in your mind, which might affect your writing subconsciously.'

You can watch the full video HERE.

D: Dialogues (#BlogchatterA2Z)

Photo by Harli Marten, Unsplash

Pleasant conversations…isn't it endearing when you interact with someone with whom you can make a smooth conversation?

Fiction is no different. I'm not a very talkative person, but my mind is constantly buzzing with made up dialogues and conversations. In real life, I'm not good at making conversation (or talking for that matter) but, despite these conversation troubles, endearing/witty dialogues is one of the main reasons why I like any book/movie. Most of my favourite books have interesting dialogues. 

Why do we need good dialogues?

There could be so many reasons, however in this post, I'm going to mention two simple reasons:

Dialogues tell a lot about the characters. Other than dialogues, characters are the the backbone of a story. No matter how poetic the writing is, I don't like a book if I don't connect with the characters. 

They play a pivotal role in building the bond between the protagonists. The sparkling chemistry? That comes from the dialogues. 

Things to keep in mind when writing dialogues:

There could be so many things but, again, in this post, I'm going to mention three simple things. 1. Keep it real. Like we speak? 2. Keep it short. Two paragraphs/one page long dialogues are tiring and unreal. 3. Don't forget the activities and body language.

That's all for now. What do you think?

I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z

B: Beta Reading (#BlogchatterA2Z)

 

Photo: Nick Morrison, Unsplash

Have faith in your writing but do not fall in love with it. Not too soon at least.

When I wrote my first novel I was pretty pleased. Writing a novel is a big deal, yes it is. I sent it to several publishers and it obviously got rejected. It broke my heart.

Then one day I found a website where they were reviewing the first 800 words of the manuscript. I submitted, very hopeful. Publishing industry is difficult to crack, right, so maybe they rejected my work just like that? But no, my manuscript actually had problems as I got bad reviews. I decided to not touch that manuscript. Not for a while at least. 

After a year or so, I started working on it again. I changed my voice and made major changes. In fact I rewrote it. Again submitted and got positive responses from renowned publishing houses. 

What I mean is, get your manuscript beta read even if you feel it's good. Especially if you are writing your first book.

In simple words, beta reading means reviewing a manuscript. A beta reader checks your manuscript for plot holes, readability and plausibility, which is very important. It would enhance your chances when you are going for traditional publishing.

Two important things to keep in mind:

You can seek professional help, of course, however you can ask your close ones, who enjoy reading and understand the craft, to read. In my case, my sister, my husband and my brother (plus some family friends) shared some valuable points. 

Choose someone who is brutally honest. A few years ago, a friend sent her book to me to review. I am not a very straightforward person but when it comes to reading, I am very honest. Sometimes honesty lands you into trouble. The friend told me that my input was affecting her writing in a negative way. I apologised but we are not friends anymore. 

The thing is, if you like praises then you must have the heart to accept criticism. It's for your own good. You don't have to agree with your beta reader every time she/he makes a point but consider it, think carefully. There's nothing to feel bad about. 

What do you think about it?

I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z

5 MSME Business Ideas For Women Entrepreneurs

 

Image: Charles Forerunner, Unsplash

Jaswantiben Jamnadas, a 91 year old woman, received the prestigious Padma Shree Award this year. Who is Jaswantiben Jamnadas? She's a super successful business woman, one of the co-founders of Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad. It reminded me of the popular Lijjat Papad advertisement on Doordarshan. 

It's wonderful to see women opting for their own business and doing it with confidence. I have seen women working as successful entrepreneurs since my childhood. My mother, Nili Verma, used to be a professional photographer. She owned a studio. She even developed the negatives in her dark room. I used to accompany her sometimes. It was so fascinating to see the negatives transform into images. She used to visit girl's college and hostels to capture the various fuctions and the famous Saraswati Puja, and I'd manage her studio that day, feeling terribly uncomfortable. 'I don't even know how to click photos.'

'You don't have to. Par studio band nahin hona chahiye.' She said.

But as the smartphone era arrived, she realized photography was not a very profitable business so she turned her studio into a boutique and still runs it successfully and confidently. 

Covid has hit hard financially but MSME certainly acts as a big strength. The Government has specifically launched Women entrepreneurship support to encourage women who wanted to create something or start their own business. Over here the Government provides financial help, counselling, and training to women to help them manage their business better.

So what business ideas are eligible for MSME?

1. Beauty Parlour and Boutique.

One of my aunts, Nupur Chhanda Sinha, owns a beauty parlour called 'Shringar' and honestly she is one of the best in our small town {Bhagalpur} in Bihar. She also runs a training center.

She has registered for MSME, and says it was really helpful. It falls under the Mudra Yojna Scheme by the Government, especially for women entrepreneurs. 

2. Travel & Transport 

I read about two successful women entrepreneurs who run this business in a very unique and thoughtful manner. {Source: Internet}

Hey DeeDee: It's an all woman delivery service founded by Revathi Roy. It operates in several cities in India and is a huge team of Hey DeeDee women riders. This successful company has tied up with several big companies like Amazon, Subway, Pizza Hut etc.

Planet Abled:

It's a very thoughtful and innovative idea by Neha Arora. It's a travel agency that makes travel easier for people with different kinds of disabilities. A platform where people with any disability and people without any disability can experience the joy of traveling and adventures together.

3. Handicraft: 

When it comes to art, your uniqueness makes you stand out. Many years ago, one of my aunts used to run a small handicraft business. Apart from creating different kinds artworks like crafting on aluminium sheets and clay art, she taught flower making and quilling art. Her small studio used to buzz with excited murmurs of her students.

As an artist, I understand it's not very easy to make money. So widen your horizon. Try different things, like conduct classes, collaborate with the brands etc.

4. Catering: 

Our house {in Bihar} is almost adjacent to the only Girl's College of our town. Consequently, there are so many girls' lodges in our area. The college offers mess service but everyone living away from home yearns for home made food. One of my aunts started the catering service. Although, she couldn't continue the business for a long time mainly because it was too much work to do alone and she couldn't afford workers. But it's a good idea, I think. 

The Government offers Annapurna Scheme if one wants to start a catering unit.

5. Agriculture:

Anita Devi, a Home Science graduate from Bihar, runs a successful Mushroom farming business. She's also called 'Mushroom Lady of Bihar'.

It's good to try different things, irrespective of the field. One can avail Dena Shakti Scheme offered by the Government, if you take up farming as a business. 

Keeping the MSME benefits in mind, it seems like the right time to start your business.

Let's work on interesting ideas and grow as successful women entrepreneurs. Our growth is going to bring positive changes to our society.

Written for Growth Matters Forum. Growth Matters Forum is a community for business owners to explore ideas, streamline growth and create an impact. Join the community here.