Get Groomed In The Best Salon

Look Forward To The Best Available Salon Services

To groom yourself, make no compromises in selecting the right parlor or salon. Your body deserves great maintenance, for glowing skin and hair. And to enhance your looks, the best salon always provides services by the trained professionals. That too, using genuine and high-quality beauty products. 

In the recent past, a spate of beauty parlors has mushroomed in every nook and corner of the big cities and towns. In my town, the top four salons are Blooms, Pearl, Nu-look, and Chisel Salon. 

Main Features To Look For, And Their Comparisons:

Salon number 1, Blooms –

Advantages:

The Blooms salon provides most of the services that a regular ladies parlor does. It’s located in a market area, and the rates of the services are reasonable.

Disadvantages:

Because the location is in a busy market area, the Blooms salon does not give discounts or membership to the clients. The staff is not certified, they received just on-the-job training.

Salon number 2, Pearl –

Advantages:

The Pearl salon, apart from giving all the services, has a spa for hair and skin care. It also gives discounts and membership to the customers. Only pure herbal beauty products are used.

Disadvantages:

The membership is given with a lot of terms and conditions. The prices for the packages and services are quite expensive.

Salon number 3, Nu-look –

Advantages:

One of the most popular parlors in the town is the Nu-Look salon. The rates of the services provided are cheaper. This salon can send the staff to your home, especially for the facials and makeup.

Disadvantages:

There are no discounts and no membership provided. The staff is not certified, they just received on-the-job training. And the beauty products used are not herbal.

Salon number 4, Chisel Salon –

Advantages:

The prices for each of the services and packages provided are affordable. Only pure herbal beauty products are used. Discounts are frequently given, and membership is easily available. The staff employed here are certified professionals.

Disadvantages:

The Chisel Salon is located in a residential colony, away from the market. Ladies are notified through the print and social-media advertisements.

The Purpose Behind Finding The Correct Salon:

“Kaajal, a 25-year-old lady, just entered a random parlor on her wedding day, to get decked up. She spent thousands of Rupees on her makeup and hairstyle. After the wedding, she cleansed her makeup and took a shower. To her horror, her hair had roughened up, and she felt itchy all over her face, neck, and arms.”  

Mrs. Mona Ahuja, an expert beautician, narrated this at her renowned salon. She said that had the bride taken the skincare services like massage, facial, or makeup, at least a few months back, she would have known what kind of product suited her skin and hair.

The lesson learnt is that you must visit a reliable salon in advance for your beauty treatment, for grooming for a special occasion. This is beneficial to those with sensitive skin.

Benefits Of The Chisel Salon Are:

• Presence of the highly experienced certified staff.

• Use of only pure herbal beauty products.

• Lifetime membership is available, in which the clients get Rs.1000/- off for each package and a 50% discount for all the services without the package.

• Even if you are not a member, you can get 50% off on any of the services, if you make an appointment or book online two weeks before.

The Chisel Salon Is A Cut Above The Rest –

Dear friends… the Chisel Salon started by Mrs. Mona Ahuja has all the characteristics of an ideal salon. Her foresight and her entrepreneurial skills have made her lead the market, in the field of the beauty business. The entire town is all praise for this hardworking businesswoman.

TO GEAR UP FOR THE FESTIVE LOOK, VISIT NOW

Disclaimer:

This write-up is part of the assignment for the Content Vidhya. An imaginary name ‘Chisel’ has been given to the salon here. Any resemblance, to another salon, is purely coincidental.

Best Salon Services You Can Never Ignore

GET PAMPERED TO THE MAXIMUM

Today is the age of making the first impression as the last impression. Everyone has become aware of presenting himself or herself to the best, for all the occasions, whether it’s professional or personal. And the Chisel Salon aims to satisfy every client’s need for the perfect grooming.

1)Friends, do you find high-quality salon services too expensive? 

2)Do you have problems related to the hair but also want a decent haircut, at one place?

3)You want good makeup, but to color your hair, do you go to a different parlor?

Well… no running around anymore. I experienced the best treatment for my facial on my first visit, referred by my friend.

Presenting The Top-class Facilities And Services All Under One Roof:

• Haircuts are done according to the face structure; hair trimming, styling and coloring.

• All kinds of facials, from fruit to herbal, with facial massages.

• Pedicure, manicure, and arms and legs to whole-body-waxing.

• Makeup for all occasions like, parties, festive events and weddings.

• Applying mehendi on hands and feet for festive and wedding events.

• Body tattoo services are also available.

• Hair spa treatment for the rough and falling hair.

• The whole-body massage and spa rejuvenate the dead skin cells. The spa includes meditation, aromatherapy, and body wraps. 

Distinct Features About The Salon Are:

1. All the above-described facilities are being carried out by the highly experienced and qualified beauty professionals, at the Chisel Salon. 

2. Pure herbal products are used for your skin and hair, so no side effects are guaranteed.

3. Make an appointment or book online at least two weeks in advance, to get a 50% discount for each package (eg, the head-to-toe grooming package of Rs.3000/- will cost only Rs.1500/-).

4. Lifetime membership is available (Rs.1000/- off in each package), apart from the weekly to the festive offers (ranging from 30% to 40% discounts), for all the services.

Brief Information About The Proprietors –

Mr. Ram and Mrs. Mona Ahuja wanted to establish a salon covering all kinds of beauty solutions in one place, for the ladies only. The couple gave the grand opening of the Chisel Salon last year.

During this period, the salon has catered to about 4000 satisfied clients. Mrs. Ahuja did thorough planning to keep the salon function smoothly amidst the stiff competition around.

By offering her clients quality services at affordable prices, and by following the latest trends, she has soon built customer loyalty and increased sales.

Clients Can Book Their Services Anytime, And Anywhere:

• Clients can schedule appointments online from anywhere, with their cell phone, tablet, or computer.

• Online booking removes the need for the clients to call or visit this salon to schedule an appointment.

• Staff is more focused on their customers while minimizing physical interaction and keeping up with social distancing guidelines.

Testimonials:

Mrs. Sudha Rao (46 years) – “I have always trusted the skills of the beauticians at the Chisel Salon, providing total hair and skincare under one roof.”

Ms. Radha Pal (24 years) – “Whenever I have to go to a party, I come to color my hair and for makeup only at Chisel Salon. And I’ve received compliments for that.”

The Salon Believes In The Motto ‘Service Comes First’ –

The Chisel Salon will be delighted to serve you during the festive season ahead, and also during the wedding season afterward, starting from November. The dedication of the staff of the Chisel Salon is 100%. But they will readily serve you at much-discounted prices.

TO LOOK YOUR GLOWING BEST VISIT NOW 

Disclaimer:

This review is part of the assignment of the copywriting course of the Content Vidhya. And the name given to the salon here is an imaginary one. Any resemblance, to another salon, is purely coincidental.

The Value to Conserve Nature

(Image credit – Shutterstock)

World Nature Conservation Day 28th July 

Millions of creatures, both flora, and fauna, have shared our planet quite responsibly before man came into existence. But due to overpopulation, negligence, and greed, he disrupted the natural habitat and its balance. 

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.” Mahatma Gandhi

On the occasion of World Nature Conservation Day, celebrated across the world on 28th July, let’s pledge to conserve plants and animals that are on the verge of extinction. Every individual must take charge in protecting the environment and all-natural resources. And society as a whole together can work towards a sustainable world to ensure a safe present as well as future.

History of World Nature Conservation Day

The origin of celebrating World Conservation Day is still unknown but the objective is to educate the public and raise awareness and take measures to conserve mother nature as much as possible.

Overexploitation of natural resources has been going on for ages, leading to global warming, resulting in natural disasters like floods, melting of glaciers and icebergs, and various diseases currently being suffered by humans. And only a healthy environment can lay the foundation for a stable and strong society.

https://www.firstpost.com/india/world-nature-conservation-day-2021-on-this-day-pledge-to-save-animals-trees-on-verge-of-extinction-9844031.html

Significance of World Nature Conservation Day

Conserving natural resources must be our top priority. This can be done by preserving various components of nature including air, water, soil, vegetation, minerals, energy, and wildlife creatures on land, and water bodies among others. The need to conserve the resources are:

• To support life by supporting ecological balance.

• To ensure that future generations will be able to access the resources.

• To preserve biodiversity.

• To ensure that the human race survives.

(Image credit – India Today)

How human activities are increasing the pandemic like situation –

There are two main ways in which change in the environment leads to the threat of the pandemic outbreak:

1. First, with growing human settlements and land clearing for agriculture, the transition zones between ecosystems have grown. This leads species from different habitats to mix and interact with each other in new ways, providing ample opportunities for diseases to jump between species.

2. The second important cause for the emergence of animal carrier diseases is biodiversity loss. With decreased biodiversity, disease vectors – like those animals that carry and transmit an infectious pathogen – are more likely to feed on vertebrates than other species which are no longer as abundant.

Following are the steps to conserve nature through everyday tasks:

• Say no to plastic straws/utensils and invest in recyclable ones like bamboo, metal, BPA-free, glass, stainless steel, or copper.

• Adapt to a new diet by switching to seasonal and local plant-based products.

• Switch to using energy-saving LED bulbs.

• Instead of plastic bags use cloth or paper bags for grocery and vegetable shopping.

• Try not to throw food containers and jars as they can be reused to store other items.

https://www.firstpost.com/india/un-holds-first-global-study-of-nature-and-human-race-100000-species-on-path-to-extinction-6521101.html

Despite increasing forest cover, India needs to work harder to balance economic development with environmental consciousness. We have around 18 percent of the world’s population and 15 percent of the livestock, spread over just 2 percent of the world’s land area. In the coming decades, sustainable development will face a huge challenge not only in our country but around the world.

Lessons Learnt from the content writing workshop

Hello friends, I am Shashi Thakur living in Raipur. I’m a 48 years old housewife and a mother of a 21 years old daughter. For the past 13 years, I have been suffering from a neurodegenerative illness called Multiple Sclerosis. Among varied interests ranging from art and craftwork to singing to blogging, it’s the field of creative writing which has attracted me the most currently.

My writing journey 

Through Facebook in September 2020, I came to know about Content Vidhya, a spirited team of writers that specializes in providing valuable lessons in content writing, to people regardless of age from 18 years and above.

I also came to know through Facebook about ‘Momspresso’ last year, a community of women bloggers and vloggers, to showcase their talents. On this platform, I regularly post short stories and blogs, depending on the topics or prompts given here.

Now, I’m going to elaborate on the lessons learned from the workshop organized by the Content Vidhya.

Following are the steps learned:

• On day 1 – We were taught about various styles of writing like narrative or descriptive, and how to write a great headline and introduction, among others.

• On day 2 – We learned various writing techniques, the use of bold and italics, the importance of images, heading and subheading, and the use of tools like the Grammarly app.

• On day 3 – The most interesting part called copywriting was taught, which is content created to sell the idea, product, or services, and all the important strategies involved.

• On day 5 (as day 4 was off) – The subject of the niche was taught. Every person has multiple interests, many experiences but expertise in few, and how to find out his niche depending on the market score.

• On day 6 – On the last day, topics covered were research, affiliate marketing, and the objectives of creating a portfolio.

Conclusion:

In this way, the workshop came to an end, but the students were assured of lifetime support. I only had difficulty in finding out my niche, as my scores in creative writing and blogging were very close. But through my interest score and finally the market score, I came to know about my niche in creative writing.

I express my heartfelt gratitude to the coach par excellence Ms. Uma Madhavi Ma’am for her useful and informative guidance, as well as her supporting team for providing us with daily updates through email and WhatsApp. If ever I make a mark in the writing industry in the future, it will be solely due to the efforts of Madhavi Ma’am and her team.

              *********************

My travel diary of the Mars

(Credit image – NASA)

One fine morning I woke up to find myself on the Red Planet of Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun and only bigger than Mercury. I found the year to be 2121, and the story goes on.

“I need to go out for a morning walk,” I said half asleep.

“Are you crazy?… this is not Earth that you can roam around so easily. We are on Mars, we can’t go out without wearing protective gear.” Cautioned my brother. 

His words jolted me but in our specially built house on Mars, covered with special glasses from all sides, I got ready after having breakfast, to travel across the red planet with my brother.

Covering up in a special thermal suit, as the temperature of Mars usually remains -45°Celsius at the mid-latitudes, we came out of our home to sit in a special plane cum vehicle, which runs on the flat surface but flies over the mountains and deep valleys. We travel out of the home only once a month, to save the very expensive fuel required for the plane. There were plenty of row houses in the neighborhood.

https://www.universetoday.com/14853/interesting-facts-about-planet-mars/

So we moved past a valley with rocks around, which could have formed only in the presence of water, billions of years ago. Mars today is just a cold desert, with an extremely thin atmosphere, not enough to support life. But we know for sure that there is ice on the poles and other frosty locations.

My brother steered the plane towards a dormant volcano. The surface gravity of Mars is only 37% of what you would find on Earth, which makes it possible for volcanoes to be taller without collapsing. That’s why Olympus Mons is the tallest volcano known on a planet in the Solar System. It’s 25 kilometers high and its diameter is approximately the same as the state of Arizona, according to NASA.

Our next location was a canyon. Mars has a wide canyon as deep as 7 kilometers at some parts, known as Valles Marineris. According to NASA, the valley is as wide as the United States and is about 20% of the Red Planet’s diameter. Flying past the canyon at a supersonic speed in our aircraft, we finally landed on a flat surface.

(Credit image – NASA)

Through a telescope, we closely spotted two asteroid-like moons called Phobos and Deimos because they have compositions similar to that of asteroids found elsewhere in the Solar System, according to NASA. Most scientists believe that the gravity of Mars snatched the moons long ago and forced them into orbit.

Mars is still inhospitable, as it has practically no atmosphere. The air pressure is only 1% of what is (on average) found on Earth’s surface. Specifically, Mars has about 95% carbon dioxide, 3% nitrogen, 1.6% argon, and a few elements in its atmosphere.

Apart from that, Mars has an environment similar to that of the moon, cratered and practically unchanging. Some other features are of the dust around the dormant volcanoes. Methane can also be found in its atmosphere in some parts, but the fluctuations keep happening.

https://www.britannica.com/place/Mars-planet

With this, our trip around Mars came to an end. The next morning when I woke up from my bed, I was surprised to find myself very much on Earth. My brother told me to get ready for an early morning jog. Well, I was still overwhelmed to have seen such a beautiful and fascinating dream.

The most delicious sweet

 

               (Image- Times of India) 

Dear friends, World Chocolate Day was celebrated last week on the 7th of July. The whole world joined in the celebration for this delicious silky-smooth confectionery, loved by people of all ages. The most wonderful creation of humankind, chocolate, has the power to unite the entire race for its irresistible appeal.

Gorging a bite of chocolate is no longer considered an indulgent behavior. As there are plenty of health benefits if eaten in moderation. So, its consumption is increasing year by year, much to the delight of the buyers, the sellers, and the manufacturers.

History of chocolate:

Chocolate was introduced to Europe in the 1550s. Before that, it was limited to specific regions of south and central America, and Mexico. It was discovered by foreign invaders like the Spanish and then gradually traveled the world over.

In 1519, a Spanish explorer named Herman Cortez was said to have served a chocolate-based drink called ‘Xocolati’ by the Aztec emperor Montezuma. The explorer took the drink back with him to Spain and added sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon to improve the taste. 

The chocolate traveled to England and France by the 1600s, after the Spanish invasion. The edible solid form of chocolates was created only in the 1800s. Gradually different forms of dishes were prepared the world over.

More information about chocolate day is given in the link below.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chocolate_Day

Benefits of chocolate:

• Chocolate is perceived to be a fattening indulgence. But that is due to the high sugar content and processing it is attributed to by certain companies. Mindful and moderate consumption can help the body and the mind gain multiple advantages.

• Dark chocolate consisting of at least 85℅ cocoa and 15℅ sugar (or sugar alternatives) is considered to be excellent for our health. If consumed twice or thrice a week in moderate amounts, they curb sugar cravings, help control body weight, and aid digestion.

• Chocolates act as natural mood enhancers, a few bites of them can make us feel content. They contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Phytochemicals called flavonoids and stimulants called theobromine can help with immunity, heart health, cough, boosting memory and brain function.

Note: If you are a diabetic, always consult your doctor before eating chocolate in any form.

Interesting facts about chocolate:

• Chocolate was not just considered a tasty and bitter drink in the Aztec culture, but it was used as a currency too.

• A whopping 30℅ of the world’s cocoa is grown in Africa, though the cocoa bean originated in the Amazon.

• Scientists have found out that the color of the chocolate has different perceptions. For example, hot chocolate served in an orange-colored cup will taste better.

• The other days dedicated to celebrating chocolates are White Chocolate Day (22nd September), Milk Chocolate Day (28th July), Chocolate Covered With Anything Day (16th December), Bittersweet Chocolate Day (10th January), etc.

                 (Image- Times of India)

The best way to celebrate the chocolate day is, of course, to enjoy relishing the silky delicacy in any form without any guilt. These days, due to the corona crisis it’s not possible to go to a restaurant. Hence, we can prepare any kind of yummy recipe for chocolate with our family, for example, cakes, pastries, ice cream, pudding, pancakes, and so on.

Some more chocolate-based recipes are given in the link below.

https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/chocolate-recipes/

By making assorted chocolates at home, we can give them to our friends and loved ones. One can also enhance knowledge about chocolates by knowing about different varieties, storage techniques, and recipes. After all, as Regina Brett puts it, 

“When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.”

So friends, what are you waiting for?

Go grab one and enjoy.

If phones and the internet were to die tomorrow

                 (Image credit- Iscope)

The modern day’s most valuable inventions, that are, phones and the internet, if in case they get extinguished from the face of the earth, then both the unpleasant as well as the pleasant outcomes would emerge. 

This situation will occur only when the radio electrical signals present in the atmosphere, the satellites in space, and the optic fiber cables laid underground all over the world are completely disabled. In that scenario, the methods of communication will be the total reliance on the good old days of the postal services.

The reasons for the success of the phones and the internet :

• In the case of a phone, it’s essentially a two-way radio, a radio transmitter, and a radio receiver. When you chat with your friend on your cell phone, your phone converts your voice into an electrical signal, which is then transmitted via radio waves to the nearest cell tower. The network of cell towers then relays the radio waves to your friend’s cell phone, which converts it to an electric signal and then back to the sound again. 

• In addition to voice calls, most modern cell phones perform functions like web or internet surfing, taking pictures, playing games, sending text messages, and playing music. More sophisticated cell phones can do the task of a portable computer.

• On the other hand, the internet is a worldwide computer network that transmits a variety of data and media across interconnected devices. It works by using a packet routing network that follows Internet Protocol (IP) and Transport Control Protocol (TCP). Both of them work together to ensure that data transmission across the internet is consistent and reliable, no matter which device (phone or laptop) you are using or where (garden or office) you are using

.

                  (Image credit- Unsplash)

https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/tech-takes/how-does-the-internet-work

Consequences of their collapse :

If the phones and the internet were to collapse someday then the consequences would be disastrous as millions of people around the world depend on it. Everyone would be rendered isolated.

• Human relationships would suffer first of all, due to the lack of any medium. Postal services, though reliable, take time to send the message across.

• Business would suffer, due to lack of speed in transferring essentials, whether it’s the data or the goods.

• Important messages from any establishment, be it the schools or colleges, banks or offices, hospitals, or government agencies, will reach them when it’s too late in the absence of the phones.

• More papers will be used and consequently more trees will be cut due to no access to paperless transactions.

The brighter side of having no phones and the internet :

• The benefits are that the people would become more relaxed and healthy. Both these devices have only made them more anxious and affected their eyes and the brain.

• The people will have enough time to spend with just about anyone, which previously they never even thought of. Get-togethers will happen more often through verbal communication. That way people will meet each other in person, making direct eye contact.

• Courier and postal services will thrive, in the absence of electronic means of communication.

So, friends, the choice is yours, whether you wish to remain without the phones and internet, or be addicted to them. And whatever you choose to do, you must be ready to face the aftermath too. After all, every action definitely has a reaction.

Lessons learned from the content writing workshop

It was refreshing to learn about the nuances of content writing in an upgraded version this time. I’m extremely glad to have attended this workshop, to improve my writing skills and make a mark in the world of blogging. Apart from blogging, I’m also interested in craftwork, textile designing, counseling, cooking, singing, and trekking. But it’s the creative writing which gives me the utmost happiness.

On day one, we studied the following steps: 

• The styles or types of writing are descriptive, narrative, and corporate messages.
• Content creation steps like research, proofread, edit and design, etc. 
• How to write great headlines and introductions. 
• And about free blogging sites like Medium, WordPress, Tumblr, etc. 

On day two, we learned the following:

• About various writing techniques like using the 8th-grade language, avoid using the passive voice as far as possible, keeping the tense persistent, etc.
• Use italics and bold letters, provide headings and subheadings, use call-to-action words, proofread several times, etc. 
• Also, we understood the importance of images and the conclusion. 
• And the use of tools like the Grammarly app for spell check and grammatical errors.

On day three copywriting, the most interesting part of the workshop was taught: 

• The content created to sell an idea, product, or service is called copywriting. 
• We usually assume that people use their logic to buy something, but in reality, emotions play a big role in compelling people to purchase something. 
• For that, an assignment was given to us to create copywriting content, enough to attract a client, by applying all the strategies taught.

Day four was off. So on day five, we were introduced to the engaging subject of niche, and how to find it out:

• Every person has multiple interests, experiences in several fields but expertise only in a few areas. 
• Ultimately, it is the market demand for a particular area that determines the niche of a blogger.

Finally, on day six the following fascinating topics were covered: 

• Research
• Affiliate marketing
• And the objectives of creating a portfolio.

With this, the journey of the 6-day content writing workshop came to an end. The whole workshop was highly enriching and truly enlightening, providing many valuable insights into the domain of content writing. And this was done by the expert guidance of the brilliant coach Uma Madhavi Ma’am, a highly experienced content writer herself. I’m also grateful to the team of Content Vidhya for providing the course guidelines and updates daily through the emails. 

Even after the completion of the workshop, the students have been assured of being in touch with Uma Ma’am and her team for the rest of our lives. What more can we ask for, heartfelt gratitude for them.

The Spirit Of Monsoon

         The season of monsoon beginning from the first week of June extending till September gives us immense relief from the harsh and hot summers. The rains are welcomed by one and all.

              “Rim jhim gire saavan

sulag sulag jaaye mann, 

          bhige aaj is mausam mein

lagi kaise yeh agan.”

          One of the most memorable and unforgettable Hindi film songs, sung by late Kishore Ji and Lata Ji, perfectly depicts the mood of monsoon. One can almost feel the rainfall by listening to this track.

To start with, the dark clouds relieve us from the blistering sun and then pour out the drizzle to drench us and quench our thirst, which we all, including the flora and the fauna had been longing for.  

Monsoon season is the lifeline of the Indian farmers. Apart from turning the scorched land into lush green everywhere, there begin the festivities in all parts of the country.

Boost to the Farmers 

           Around 50-60% of the Indian population (directly or indirectly) depends upon the agricultural sector, and currently, it contributes around 18% to the country’s GDP.

(https://www.statista.com/topics/4868/agricultural-sector-in-india/)

So it’s mostly the farmers, 82% of them being small and marginal, who wait anxiously and pray for the good monsoon each year, for their livelihood.

Stunning Landscape 

           During the monsoon, the entire dry land turns into a beautiful landscape. India is blessed with lush green forests, valleys, breathtaking waterfalls, lakes, and the grandest of mountains.

The scenic beauty of the regions of the Western Ghats, Kerala waterways, and the unexplored North-East is captivating. This accelerates the tourist flow even in this season, apart from the winters.

(http://www.walkthroughindia.com/attraction/the-beauty-of-monsoon-season-in-india/)

               Image Credits(Pexels)

Incredible Wildlife 

          Monsoon offers a celebration for wildlife, covering all the species of insects, reptiles, mammals, and birds, brimming with life.

The awesome Indian wildlife turns out to be a treat, for the nature enthusiasts, in all the forested areas in our country. In a way, good monsoon also helps to maintain the ecological balance.

Monsoon Festivals

          Come monsoon, and there are a plethora of festive activities to be seen, in every nook and corner of our country. Different states follow different and unique traditions of their own. Major festivals are Teej, Rath Yatra, Janmashtami, Ganeshotsav, Onam to name a few.

Particularly during the holy month of ‘Saavan’ in July, people not just worship the Gods, but also sing, dance and give away feasts, to welcome the rains.

               Image Credits(Pexels) 

Monsoon Shopping

          Go to any market and mall during monsoon, anywhere in India, and you will always find most of the shops offering little to huge discounts on sale, to attract the customers.

Mostly it is a clearance sale in this season, before bringing in fresh stocks before ‘Diwali’. People have a gala time while indulging in festive shopping.

Common Traits 

           Just look around and you will spot the most common habits among people, unique to this season only.

Kids love to slide away paper boats in the streaming waters; youth loves to take part in all kinds of outdoor sports as well as dance in the rain; housewives dish out hot ‘pakodas’ in the kitchen; poets pen down a few lines about romance; musicians compose some amazing notes, especially based on Raag ‘Megh-malhar’, and so on.

           Apart from humidity, don’t you feel the lovely breeze flowing now and then? Doesn’t this charge you up for the entire day? This season urges you to transform yourselves, to start a new venture, or just do about anything with a refreshing outlook. Such is the magic of monsoon.

What If I Wake Up As A Bird Tomorrow

     Friends, it would be exciting if indeed I wake up one fine morning as this delicate and lovable winged creature, that we see around daily.

You must be wondering what kind of a bird I would be, how would I look  like? and so on. Well, I’m just a humble little bird, brown in colour, that’s commonly found when you look outside the window. So here goes my story..

              .

Life Of A Bird

What To Expect :

Today I woke up at the crack of the dawn, in my tiny nest perched on a tree, located in a city garden. Together with fellow birds I flew around in search of food and water.

We went over the buildings to spot the food cereals and water kept in the bowls over the walls for us. We also plucked the lawn grasses for building our nests.

By now the sun had risen, and a lot of people had gathered up in the garden. Children were playing around, youngsters jogging and exercising, people in the middle and old age groups doing brisk walk or yoga.

After a while, I flew off and stopped over the temple top,situated nearby.

Then I moved towards a busy market. Here I even managed to sit on a cap worn by a man holding his kid, who watched me with glee. Now I flew off to a big hoarding to rest on.

For the entire day, I had a hard time being chased by the cats and dogs, whenever I flew closer to the ground which wasn’t as troublesome as it sounds. From here I flew on and on until I landed on the tomb of a mosque.

How Everything Changes :

Unlike men, I could sit on top of a church, a mosque or a temple without being judged or any objections thrown towards me.

“Panchhi nadiya pawan ke jhokhe

koi sarhad na inhe roke…

Sarhad insaano ke liye hai,

socho tumne aur maine…

kya paaya insaan hoke”

Famous song from the film ‘Border’

Flying across the man-made boundaries, a bird’s life is indeed a blessed one.

I’m happy as long as there are enough green vegetation around, and enough lakes, ponds and streams around for my survival.

How To Face It :

Friends, after living a life as a bird, I discovered three aspects about it, which demand immediate attention and awareness.

Understanding Common Bird Behavior :

• Bathing in water or dust –  

Birds often do this to either maintain moisture or to remove external parasites.

• Anting –   

Over 200 species of birds have been spotted putting ants in their feathers. This is called anting, to soothe a bird’s skin irritation.

• Courtship and mating –  Nest-building, singing out more tunes, bowing or flapping their wings and sharing seeds, through these ways male birds impress the female ones. Most birds only mate for one season, while some will mate for life. 

• Molting –

Birds need new feather threads too. They will shed most of their feathers because they wear out and fade, hence it’s called molting.

Threats To Birds :

• Loss of habitat –

Deforestation, drainage of wetlands, planting of non-native trees, loss of areas to urban development and intensive agriculture threaten the birds.

• Loss of conservation –

Birds are critical to our ecosystem. But they get killed by invasive species, hunting and trapping. Over 100 species of Indian birds are on the verge of extinction. 

• Collisions –

Other causes of birds’ deaths are ; use of chemicals in agricultural lands ; spillage of oils and marine trash in the sea ; collisions at the power lines, wind turbines or communication towers ; global warming also causes loss of habitat and disturbance of migratory cycles.

How To Save Them :

• Arrange a bird bath – 

Every household needs to provide birds with water tubs to drink and bath in, especially during summers.

• Support bird conservation –

Support birds by joining bird conservation NGOs and advocate for bird habitat protection at the local, state, national or international level.

• Protect bird habitat – 

Native vegetation provides food, cover and nesting sites for migratory and local birds too. Thus, afforestation is necessary to be implemented everywhere. 

• Stop chemical fertilizers – 

Pesticides, herbicides and some fertilizers are harmful for birds and humans also. Insects provide necessary food for birds and compost keeps the soil healthy.

Friends, the world will become a much healthier and happier place to live in, if we can care about one of the most vulnerable and beautiful creatures of our planet.