Subhekshya's blog

When I was pregnant with my first born, I spent hours and hours watching multiple YouTube videos, talking to friends and family to figure out the list of essentials to buy for the baby and myself before birth.  This is the checklist I had collated and over the last two years, I must have shared this to multiple parents to be. Currently, I am pregnant with my second one, and I still swear by it.  Hope this is useful to anyone who is looking for a checklist of things to buy. Happy shopping! Bedroom   [ ] Crib   [ ] Mattress, pillow and bedsheets   [ ] Mattress protector   [ ] Dustbin for diapers- something with a lid to prevent odor   [ ] Blankets   [ ] Swaddle   [ ] Mobile for the crib   [ ] Diaper organizer    Bathroom   [ ] Bathing tub   [ ] Shampoo, soap   [ ] Towels   [ ] New born baby bath seat    Travel   [ ] Pram  ...

There is a very interesting Italian proverb about a poor man who goes to church every day and prays before God begging, "Dear god-please, please, please... make me win the lottery." This goes on for years. Finally god appears and says, "Dear son-please, please, please...buy a ticket." I remember a few years back when I was single (and not to mention desperate) , the only thing I wanted was love. The old me would always pray 'God, I don't want anything from you (so typical) but true love'. However, every date would turn out into disappointment. I used to complain to my friends (who wanted to kill me every time I mentioned the word love and its synonyms) about the guys, the city I was in and even my office for the misfortune. However, after a series of events and introspection, I realized that it was me who was making it impossible to find the one true love. I wanted true love - but had too many terms and conditions attached to it (just like those m...

A national tragedy, a devastating disaster that proved how insignificant we are compared to nature's plan. Seismologists had long predicted an earthquake of such magnitude, but the massive damage and loss of lives was not. When I first heard about the earthquake and was told that the iconic Dharahara tower no longer exists, my dreams and hopes for my country were shattered. Like millions of Nepali staying abroad, I too felt helpless. May be the fact that I couldn't share what my country and my family were facing was the saddest part of all. April 27, 2015 became the darkest day to remember. During all the chaos and despair; there was something that shone and rose. It was - HOPE. Hope that Nepal will rise again from the rubles. Hope that Dharahara will be re- built. Hope that individuals can work together in unity and restore what was lost. Hope that lives can be saved.  The strange thing about Hope is that it can conquer anything- a mountain, a river or even death. Civilians...

It’s yours It’s mine It’s ours We only have one home... Lets take good care of it!! Happy Environment day Jun 5, 2015 Harmony with land is like harmony with a friend; you cannot cherish his right hand and chop off his left." – Aldo Leopold

The standard working hours for each country is regulated by laws. The weekly working hours of most of the countries in the world is about 40-48 hours; beyond which overtime payment is made for the excess hours worked. Standard weekly working hours in France is 35hours (lucky French!!) and 112 hours in North Korea (Damn you, King Jong!) Some companies follow a weekly 5 working day regime whilst others follow 6. In most Western countries, the working days are Monday to Friday. Muslim countries generally have a Friday–Saturday weekend. The Labour Act of Nepal sets the maximum no. of working hours as 48 hours a week however, the time of commencement of working hours and number of days has been left open for the companies to decide. Similar is the case with India. I recently watched a video ‘ A week in the life of a Tokyo salary man’ h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po8IPh64rVM . The fact that so many people lead such a life was just horrifying! There are so many cases of he...

It's time South Indian Producers hire Costume designer for actors! Scientists have proved that prejudice against fat people is as bad as racism. Take this guy to court! Q: What do you do when you are ashamed of having an awesome car and don't know how to drive?  A: Spend a little more money to buy a Sticker that will divert people's attention from bad driving! For people with poor eyesight, it reads: I am better in Court than Roads. Keep away! Ajay Devgan in making... Medical Mystery: Who came first- The half man or the full man??

I recently visited Kathmandu, my hometown. It was during the time when the 18 th SAARC summit was being held. Kathmandu looked like a newlywed. The streets looked lovely as it was fully lit up, the roads were repaved and buildings were freshly painted. It is estimated that $20million was expensed towards the facelift of the city.  Due to the restrictions of vehicle on the basis of odd/ even number plates, the traffic was controlled and pollution seemed to have drastically reduced. Last time I came to Nepal, the Airport (which is the only International Airport in the country) looked like a bus station. I understand that it’s a treat to have ‘Badam’ and Orange while sun bathing, but not at the airport!! It was overtly crowded with travelers, their relatives, visitors (??!! Don’t knw why someone would visit the airport) and vehicles. The taxi drivers were a nuisance. Only if they could, they would grab all the foreigners and charge them a fortune for a taxi drive. But this ...

Another horrifying rape story- A girl in Delhi was raped by an Uber cab driver named Shiv Kumar Yadav. Unlike the December 16 case, Delhi police investigated the case without any time lapse and took the driver to custody. The Delhi police also filed an FIR against Uber for not carrying out its driver’s background verification and not obtaining PSV badges. Uber, the US based cab service company is at fault for not adhering to the statutory requirements of India. ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’ is one lesson which the global cab company has to learn.   Today, two weeks after the incident, the focus of the case has shifted from the rapist to the cab company. Will justice be served in the right manner? There are multiple pressing issues that has been completely neglected. What about conviction? The accused has not been punished, yet we are here fighting to get the cab company’s license revoked. For a heinous crime such as rape, the accused has to be pronounced with a severe ...

We are taught about environment and various environmental concerns since playschool. The first lesson on environment that we learn is ‘Don’t litter’. We all are well versed with the recent global issue, may it be climate change or biodiversity loss. There are various national/ international organization, government bodies, association of people working to address these environmental issues. However, as an individual, do we have a role to play to protect environment? Any effort, small or big towards the environment is not wasted. Surprisingly, we can address most of the environmental concerns on a personal level. As the saying goes, ‘Little drops make the mighty ocean’, in the similar lines, if small concerns are addressed, the bigger challenges will itself be taken care of. Here are a few simple action that we can take to protect environment: Stop the engine at the signal, car pool whenever possible, use public vehicles, cycle to work  Cars emit greenhouse gasses, such...

When i was small, I used to sit on my grandmother's lap in a crowded tempo and travel Now, I travel in an a/c car everyday I used to stare at the aeroplane flying high in the sky and wave at it Now, i have become a frequent flyer I used to get Rs.1000 as my annual pocket money Now, I don't keep counts of the 1000 rupee note that I spend I used to save to buy a cassette tape with just 7 songs and play it on repeat Now, i have more than 7,000 songs in my i phone I used to have a friend with whom I would start and end my day Now, I have more than 1,000 friends all over the world Time has changed. I have more money in my bank account, more experience, more material possessions. However,  when i look back;  my grandmother's lap in the crowded tempo feels more comfortable than the a/c car. The idea of an aeroplane up in the sky seems more interesting than actual flying.  Unlike now, I used to feel like a billionaire with the little ...

  After completing one of the toughest assignments at work recently, I was convinced that I needed a break. I informed my managers (not one, not two but three!) and booked my tickets to Kathmandu. The harsh reality about travelling from Bangalore to Ktm is that there’s no direct flight for the same (Air Asia, are you listening??)  I was on the Blr- Del flight and placed in seat 21F, busy detangling my earphones when I see an amazingly good looking guy walk in. He looked like someone who just stepped down from heaven.  I was instantly captivated by his fluoridated teeth and flowing hair (I seriously don’t know where the breeze came from). Yes, he certainly did have the looks to kill. He stopped at 20D and looked at me (I think he did). In the pursuit of not acting all super excited and desperate, I pretended not seeing him at all. Gosh! He looked amazing. After taking a few glimpses of him during the flight (I was not staring), the plane landed at IGI ...

If love would have been a piano piece, it would closely resemble Arcade Fire and Owen Pallet’s Photograph from the 2013 release movie ‘Her’. After watching the movie, I must have played the piece zillion number of times. The movie is about a guy who falls in love with an operating system (when are they actually releasing those? Need one!) and how unconditional love can be. It truly justifies the quote ‘Everything is fair in love and war’. Kudos to the entire team as the movie deserves a complete 5 *****. The feeling ‘love’ is strangely beautiful. It’s incomparable to anything else on earth. Love is calm, love is sweet. It’s as relaxing as staring at the bright stars in a beautiful dark night. It’s as refreshing as the cold wind blowing through your face. It’s as promising as watching a fleet of birds fly together. It’s as mesmerizing as your favourite song. When in love, your heart starts sinking. The more it sinks; the more clarity you gain. You feel that there is so much mor...

During the last few months of CA finals, all we do is study. On an average, a candidate spends 12-16 hrs daily studying for exam. What motivates us to study and live a life of a ‘Saint’ on those days? (Saint in number of ways which may include all or any of the following- not sleeping, having long beard/eyebrows, smoking up, giving up on personal life and etc etc) The motivation for some could be getting an offer from a company like Olam International (Which offered 70lakhs, the highest salary offered through campus placement) or for some it might be all about marrying one’s sweetheart who has already handed over a notice of eviction if CA not cleared on time!!  However, for many, the motivation is something dark and deep- fear of failure. Don’t you think that fear is extremely hyped!! Google ‘fear’ and you will get every kinda scary images possible (mostly from some 3 rd grade horror movie). Fear is implanted in our minds from early childhood. A mom to her 4 year old ki...

Your heart starts pounding (@ 200-240 and its audible to everyone around you); time stops (Stephen Hawking would agree!!); everything around you starts to blur (complete disorientation of your focal point); you can’t utter a single word (all you can say is ummm….ahhhh..soooo..)  and you sweat profusely (this is the time when you actually need a deo!). These are the typical symptoms of a sudden encounter with your Ex; whom you have been trying to avoid confrontation ever since you broke up.     The first thing you notice is the looks. If he/she looks like garbage; you feel like ‘Beowulf!!’- chest out, a calm smile on your face and a huge sense of achievement. You actually feel good that you are no longer together..the garbage look is an assurance to all the doubts and conflicts you had on your mind while breaking up; a feeling of buying a ‘Certified’ second hand car. The second case scenario is when the person has transfigured from Eddy Murphy to Will Smith or from u...