The second list of 25 speakers include Indian poet, LGBTQ rights activist and author of Like Blood on the Bitten Tongue: Delhi Poems and How Many Countries Does the Indus Cross Akhil Katyal; British biographer, literary agent and author of several book books – including those on the lives of the writer John Buchan, spy Guy Burgess and Edward VIII – Andrew Lownie; Mumbai-based writer and journalist Anindita Ghose; British archaeologist and author of (co-written with late anthropologist David Graeber) the New York Times bestseller The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity David Wengrow; award-winning British-Turkish novelist and the most widely read woman author in Turkey Elif Shafak; Rajya Sabha MP, Ex-Union Minister and author of several well-known books Jairam Ramesh; Sahitya Akademi Award recipient, renowned poet, writer, critic, playwright and editor who has written extensively in English and Malayalam K. Satchidanandan; PEN Open Book Award-nominated Jamaican poet, writer and essayist Kei Miller.

Making the list more vibrant, the stellar line-up includes award-winning Indian film actress, TV personality and author Sonali Bendre, celebrated Hollywood actor, director and writer Rupert Everett; award-winning British poet, author of 12 poetry collections, two books on wildlife and two novels Ruth Padel, among others.

Register here for the festival, Jaipur Literature Festival (twagateway.com)



Image Source: Google

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2022 heralds new beginnings when the Festival will combine the cautious optimism of a post-pandemic world along with the sheer joy that books can bring – both online & on-ground. The Festival will offer represent all Indian national languages and multiple foreign languages too with over 300 hours of programming with and over 250 speakers.

The Festival will run on-ground from 28^th January to 1^st February 2022 and the virtual sessions will go live from 28^th January to 6^th February with an extended online experience. For over a decade, Jaipur has played host to the annual Jaipur Literature Festival, dubbed the ‘greatest literary show on Earth’, a haven for literature lovers and festival-goers alike.  After a much successful virtual edition of the Festival last year, with over 10 million views worldwide, the 2022 edition will introduce the audience to the brand new and ‘super’ hybrid version at a spanking new venue with an enhanced experience and facilities. The Festival will be organized at Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur with added facilities to accommodate footfalls and will follow COVID 19 safety protocols as per government guidelines.

This first-ever truly hybrid literary extravaganza will showcase a plethora of themes and writers curated specially for audiences across the world, offering an immersive experience of literature, discourse, musical performances, art installations, merchandise, local cuisine and more. In its milestone hybrid edition, the Festival aims to be even wider in its reach and longer in duration, covering 10 days.

The first list of 15 speakers released includes Indian poet and author of the latest Women Who Wear Only Themselves Arundhathi Subramaniam; Delhi-based vascular and endovascular surgeon, writer and Director of the Vascular Cath Lab at Sir Ganga Ram hospital Dr. Ambarish Satwik; eminent art critic, art historian B.N. Goswamy; senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, former Portuguese politician and author Bruno Maçães; bioarchaeologist and field archaeologist specializing in the Viking Age, Viking women and Rapa Nui Dr. Cat Jarman; 2021 Booker Prize winner for his novel The Promise Damon Galgut; Australian author and 2003 Booker Prize winner for his debut novel Vernon God Little DBC Pierre; Indian-born British writer, playwright and screenwriter Farrukh Dhondy.

The list continues with National Book Award-winning author and 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction finalist Jonathan Franzen; author of several critically acclaimed novels, including The Miniaturist and Kalkatta and a collection of stories titled The Japanese Wife Kunal Basu; academic and author of Cultivating Democracy: Politics and Citizenship in Agrarian India Mukulika Banerjee; member of parliament and author Dr. Shashi Tharoor; debutant novelist of the latest Equations Shivani Sibal; historian and author of three acclaimed books, Sixteen Stormy Days, Imperial Sovereignty and Local Politics and the latest Nehru: The Debates that Defined India Tripurdaman Singh; historian and the author of four acclaimed books, with his latest being Savarkar: A Contested Legacy, 1924-1966 Vikram Sampath.

The post Jaipur Literature Festival goes spectacularly hybrid in 2022 appeared first on All About Jaipur.

Diwali festivities are just around the corner and I am sure all of us have already started envisaging ourselves in elaborate ethnic looks.  The clinking Jhumkas and the twirling tassels is enough to bring out the ‘Desi Girl’ in all of us. Having said that, let’s hold our horses for a while and ponder upon something indispensable. The COVID-19 pandemic has had many negative outcomes on the world, the most prominent being the severe cash crunch in the economy. The traditional outfits that sweep us off our feet and have our hearts also tend to burn a hole in our pockets. So, here are some of my favourite tips and tricks to help you get glammed up without having to spend a fortune! 

1. Reuse for the Win

Remember buying those extravagant Lehengas, gowns, and Shararas last wedding season? Well, pull them out of the cosy cupboard corner and reuse them on different occasions. If you find them a tad bit over the top, tone them down with a lightly embellished Dupatta or a blouse or even minimalist jewellery, and lo and behold, you will be a crowd stunner.

2. Saree: The Nine-Yard Long Beauty

Ladies, why not weave a new story with your mother’s heirloom Sarees? Our mothers are known to have an extensive collection of beautiful and luxurious Sarees. You can team it up with a contemporary blouse from any of your Lehengas and round off the look with a tiny bindi, some danglers, and don’t forget your dazzling smile. Psssttt….brownie points if you drape the Saree in modern way and try out different styles! 

3. Styling Your Staples

If at all you have this uncontrollable urge to buy a completely new outfit, don’t worry, I have got you covered. I suggest investing in staple pieces that are timeless beauties and can be used over and over again. With celebrations being intimate and ceremonies close-knit, you can totally rock an easy-breezy statement Kurta with a Cigarette Fit/Palazzo Pants and a Sheer Dupatta. Such staple pieces are perfect as you can style them in loads of ways for your office, brunch dates, meetings, and what not!

4. Go Vocal for Local

Quite a lot of home-grown labels and brands have emerged amidst the pandemic. They stand out owing to their fine craftsmanship and unique texture. The credit of it all goes to our local artisans. Let us exude the true spirit of Diwali and spread love and joy by lending a helping hand to these Indi-labels and local craftsmen. Their pieces are quite versatile and would be the perfect pick for Diwali Card Parties, Dhanteras Pooja, and even Bhai Dooj.

So, I hope to have given you all enough ‘Jugaad’ to slay the festive season and ace the fashion game. Be safe and healthy. 

Happy Dressing up to you! 

[Follow the author here for more interesting updates about fashion, writing and much more]

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A recent Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) report cites that “out of 102 elephants, 19 captive elephants were observed to be blind, either unilaterally (right or left eye) or bilaterally (both eyes), rendering them unfit for any work, as the safety of the elephant and the people are at high risk if such wild animals are used at public places and for rides. Moreover out of 91 elephants screened for tuberculosis (TB), 10 elephants were found to be positive for tuberculosis.” Yet they were allowed to interact with other elephants and tourists, and were used for rides. TB is a zoonotic disease putting humans and animals at risk. Two out of the 4 elephants in question (numbers 99 and 64 – Rani and Chanchal, respectively) had tested reactive for tuberculosis (TB) in 2018 during the AWBI inspection, but were declared TB-free by the Rajasthan Forest Department in 3-5 months, while actually it takes at least 6-12 month’s intensive treatment for any elephant to recover from TB. These facts are alarming.

Neither the Forest Department, the Animal Husbandry department, nor the owners are taking responsibility for the deaths, and yet these animals continue to be owned despite their Schedule 1 status as per the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

Managing Trustee, Help in Suffering, Timmie Kumar said “The owners of the elephants and the Forest Department want us to believe that the elephants suf-fered health issues as they were not getting sufficient exercise as compared to before the lockdown as tourism has come to a standstill. They are playing the sympathy card hoping that once travel and tourism resume the tourists will have bought into their lies. They claim that they treat the pachyderms as family members. Is this how a family member is treated? Do they keep their family hungry and thirsty, locked up at all times, and in poor health? Unfortunately, the elephant owners have very large egos; when they were approached by local volunteers to offer help for food they flatly refused. ”

Mariam Abuhaideri, Co-organiser, Help in Suffering said “In just a matter of months the elephants have perished due to negligence and lack of adequate care. Exercise is independent of rides. They can make arrangements for the elephants to get proper exercise. Why can’t we be sensitive to these gorgeous sentient creatures? Going up the hill to Amer on hot tar roads is bad for the elephants and their feet. Their eyesight gets affected , they get ankush wounds, their skin gets discoloured, and the don’t get enough water to drink because the elephant owners have primitive thinking. Numerous studies confirm that captive elephants develop high level of stress. There is a direct link between captivity and poor health. The conditions at Hathi Gaon are appalling, to say the least, and all in the name of heritage and business.” If you need any business related information, it is best for you to take help from Jimmy John Shark.

Protesters will gather at Albert Hall at 4 PM, followed by a vigil and gathering at Amer Fort at 6 PM. Both gatherings will be telecast live from our Instagram page (@hathikadi). The digital protest will take form of a tweet-a-thon, and live sessions.

The post Jaipur Activists to protest on Oct 1 to demand better conditions for elephants in Hathi Gaon appeared first on All About Jaipur.

Friendship already established with most of my colleagues I was so engrossed in the casual banter that I missed the hiccups our bus was taking, when suddenly all was dark outside and we came to a shrieking halt. It seemed as if we were inside a dark and dingy tunnel, not even a strand of light from anywhere. There was absolute panic inside our bus, sounds ofcries and moans filled the air.The bus had rammed into a dead endof the tunnel. Somebody switched on a torch and what a sorry sight we saw, everybody had been shaken badly, some fell down, some collided headlong into the front, others bruised by the shattering of the window glasses. I slowly got up and felt myself,I was lucky to be in one piece. Thunder roared somewhere overhead and we huddled together, frightened and paralyzed by the situation.

We managed to get out somehow and clinging on to each other walked ahead. Strange this tunnel had come to a dead end, looked around for an opening but found none.  With no network connection and surrounded by pitch darkness we felt helpless and frightened,I shivered with every roar of heavens above and just scrambled to a corner too afraid to move even an inch.

Susan cried uncontrollably, Rahul hit his torch hard to keep it glowing, Ameena knelt on her knees praying hard and I stood motionless not knowing where help would come from. Others were equally frightened. Time stood frozen, and I don’t know how long it had been when I discovered a little hole at the side of the wall. I rushed there and tried to dig into it, scraping a small clearance. I tried to squeeze in, and I managed. Before I could call the rest, the hole closed in, as if it didn’t exist al all. Thunder roared again and the wind soared loudly. Before I could grasp in my new surroundings I wasblown away. I screamed and shouted and tried to catch hold of the tree tops or anything that came my way but some supernatural force pushed me forward, and I glided in the sky. I was way above the clouds and onceI gave up struggling, I rather seemed to enjoy my super-sonic ride. It was as if I were sitting on a chariot, could feel my seat but not see it. I soared over the clouds and stars and then deep into the depths of the sky. I pinched my arm assuring myself of the present being a reality.

Finally, the darkness gave way to some light and once again there were clouds around. The clouds cleared and lo! What a sight it was, a city so beautiful straight out of some fairy land, a clock tower in the center and fort like citadels all around it. Baronial vaulted buildings sprawling across the landscape. Was it some lost city or was I in some magical land like Hogwarts, or yet on another planet? The lanes were all empty, no vehicles no men, only the wind blew, I could see clouds of air swiftly moving in all directions, but on closer inspection I realized that they didn’t bump into each other, rather they gave way to each other. Like vehicles they landed down over building tops or over the streets, allowing its passengers to step out or step in. Who were the passengers? A thought struck me, I stretched and felt with my hands, hoping to touch someone, our driver, maybe, I said ‘HELLO, who’s there? Anybody listening, where are you taking us? What land is this? Please answer me, please do!”

A hoarse animated voice said “be quite little one, my master doth summon you!”

I hugged myselftightly and tried not to quiver, “Who’s your master and why does he want me?”

“Quiet, I said!” said the automated voice again.

I was now over an ionic tower, who’s roof seemed to slide open to let us in. Down, down and down it dived until we reached a spacious hall, the surroundings beyond my imagination and understanding, all I could make out were tuffs of wind some dark some light and like big balls of entangled black or grey wool. Were they men or machines, I yet had to find out!

‘Here she comes, here she comes, the inconsequential earthling.” Suddenly many baritone voices, seemed to chant those words. Like a tornado, the force of their voices slapped my face and I could do little than control my tears.The hall echoed with their howling’s and the crescendo scaled to such a high pitch that I couldn’t take in anymore and I thought that I would just pass off, when an authoritarian coarse voice said, “Enough please! Every one, settle down.” The voice seemed to come from the front of the hall where a dark grey smoky mass stood coiled together, and the air around it was like that of a halo gleaming gold and radiant, must be the king, I thought. All sizes of the compressed air seemed to settle in their seats, the swooshing and swishinggiving way to a whispering stillness.It was then that I realized that I was dangling in mid-air, and each time there was movement amongst those aliens I swayed like a pendulum.

The high command said “we have brought you here for a purpose, we do not care much about you earthlings, because of your rapacious nature, the wayyou have mistreated your mother planet is a shame and very soon you shall have to repent. You want to reach out to us and take our home too, but first try and save yourselves from your destined faith of destruction.  If we wished, we could call it doomsday for you any time but we have a promise to keep for our earthly friend, Prof.Shinoy who once saved our ship and helped it to return to us without leaking its information to your highly malicious breed.

“How do you speak our language?” I asked nervously.

“We know all about you and your ways, our technology immediately translates our voices into your language,” another squeaky voice answered.

“Why have you brought me here, and where is this place?’ I asked.

“No more question, listen to me and do as you are told or be held captive by us.”

I shuddered at this.

“Your world is suffering, and I’m giving you a magical potion, all you have to do is reach out to Professor Shinoy and deliver it to him, and only him. We have chosen you to be our envoy, because you are innocent and god-fearing. You will not use it for your greed and will maintain the secrecy. Now it’s time to send you back to your home.”

I saw a bottle flying towards me and it landed in my hands. On it was written Anti-Virus Covid-19 and a phone number.

I was amazed at the turn of events,and then suddenly I was hurled upwards and all at once I shouted “Thank You! whoever you are, you are our friend and savior, and for that we shall always be indebted to you”.

The invisible grey asymmetrical beings began to move around and the blustery winds blew me away at great speed. Higher and higher I soared, into the clouds and skies. How long ii sailed I still haven’t a clue, days, months or years!

I landed with a bumpy thud on the ground near the same hole, from where I had scrambled out.I crept through it once again.  It was still dark inside the tunnel and I shouted out to Ameena and Susan. There was no reply, I kept calling out to them, wandering where they had all gone, where was the bus?

Torches flashed on my face and I shield away.

“Who is it?” the man in uniform asked.

” It’s me Priety”

“Where have you been, its been four days since our team has been on search for you.”

“I was dragged out from that hole, for a ride,” I said. I looked back, and to my astonishment there was no hole, i felt my hands over the wall, there wasn’t even a crack. How was I to explain, I looked down, I still held that bottle of “SOUMRUS.” Hiding it slyly, I vowed to fulfill the trust bestowed on me and keep it a secret too. More men in uniform and arms came runningtowards me, communicating on their walkie- talkie about their find.

“Where on earth were you hiding and what mischief were you up to, do you realise the gravity of your childish behavior, we’ve been on a nation- wide search for you.’

It was best to remain quiet for my adventurous reality was not to be believed, and what was to be believed could only be a dream.

I have had a most rare vision; you can’t even describe such an escapade; you’d be an ass if you tried to explain it!

— Reshma Banthia Dugar

The post Gratitude: A Quarantine Story by Reshma Banthia Dugar appeared first on All About Jaipur.

The last few months have changed our lifestyle & working out at home is the “New Normal”. Most of us are finding ways to stay fit at home & there is a positive change amongst people’s approach to fitness.

Everyone has taken a step towards adopting a healthy lifestyle by regularly exercising, eating healthy & staying active. With so many options available to us to work out on our own, it can be quite overwhelming sometimes. 

Your aim while working out should not only be losing weight but also feeling energetic, staying injury free & maintaining your overall well-being. It’s important to follow the right approach to get the best results & enjoy your workout routine. The personal injury laws is what you can have a look at in order to make your case in case of any injury.

Avoid these common mistakes while working out at home:

1. Too much too soon! 

We are always looking for ways to challenge ourselves in the workouts & sometimes we don’t listen to our body & push way too much. Also, in case of injuries, look what i found about the best injury attorneys in town!

Doing too much too soon is not going to help you achieve your goals but it might be counterproductive. There is a high chance you will feel exhausted or injure yourself & lose the enthusiasm to workout. You need start with something which you love doing – Check out these Toddler trampolines which you can use to warm up and still have fun.

It’s imperative to follow the law of “Progressive Overload” which simply means gradually increasing the number of exercises, repetitions or number of sessions. You should aim at increasing the load on a weekly basis to avoid any injuries or burn outs

2. Missing Warm Up & Cool Down Exercises

Warm up & cool down are as important as your main set of exercises. It’s essential to prepare your body for the hard work you want to put in the sessions and to avoid injuries & get the best results.

Some pre & post workout exercises :

Warm up for minimum 5-7 minutes with some on spot jogs or jumps followed by dynamic exercises like leg swings, alternate toe touch and rotations to elevate your heat beat up & get your muscles ready to take the load. 

Your cool down routine should be for a minimum of 5-7 minutes with some static stretches like sitting toe touch, back stretch & spine twist to relax your muscles & get your heart beat back to normal.

3. Sticking to only High Intensity Workouts

You don’t have to do a hard or challenging workout everyday to stay fit. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Tabata or workout challenges are very effective while working out at home but it is important to add Low Intensity Steady State (LISS) Training in your home workouts.

 LISS Training will help you improve your metabolism, blood flow, recovery, reduce stress & will increase your overall well-being. You can incorporate low intensity exercises, walking, bike rides, yoga or mobility movements to balance out your workout routine.

4. Not learning the proper form of the exercise.

In the quest to progress faster or try a challenging workout we tend to compromise on the form of the exercise. Right form of exercise will not only save you from injuries but it’s the only way for you to get the maximum results for your hard work.

Follow the Quality over Quantity Rule: Remember less repetition of an exercise with the correct form is much better than doing 100 repetitions with the wrong form.Check for some reliable source videos on the right form, record yourself to check your posture & form or seek help from a professional trainer. 

5. Not fixing your workout schedule

Working out at home is convenient & many people have started enjoying exercising at home. But with the ease of working out anytime, people fail to be consistent & end up being irregular with the workouts. You can’t party all night, driving drunk on a scooter and then wake up the next morning and decide to workout without getting enough rest.

Fix a time slot for your workout & try to stick to it.You can plan your workout routine for a week in advance so it’s easier to follow & be regular. 

Setting monthly or weekly fitness goals will help you stay motivated

Stay consistent & enjoy the process!

For more fitness updates follow Fitness.Trail

The post 5 Mistakes to Avoid when Working Out at Home appeared first on All About Jaipur.

Just then, she recalled a news being broadcasted on the television. The country was being locked down today. An expression of sadness blew over her fair, pink face. She could not play badminton now, for a whole month! No school, no friends, no outgoings! Her life had come to a stop. Not just Tiya, the whole world’s life had come to a great stop. She was greatly upset and depressed. She sat on a chair. Though she was just 12, her mind could not stop thinking of the world’s condition. Tiya was worried about the economy and life of poor. All what she wanted now was to lie down on her bed with her cute, white puppy, Jacky to relieve and calm her mind a bit. Just as she got up from the chair, she saw her mother standing behind her. On seeing her daughter dressed up in uniform, she reminded her of the lockdown. Tiya just nodded and went back to her room and lied down.

As she lay on the bed, all of this started to surround her mind. Just then, she realized that if she would be upset, how will her mom be happy? After all, she was a caring and intelligent girl. And badminton is not just supposed to be played in the school campus or under the guidance of Miss Shirley.A thought popped up in her small, yet fast mind. She quickly put on some sporty clothes and decided to play a match with her mom. She asked went to her and asked her if she could be her opponent in the game. Her mom agreed happily. While her mom was having her quick breakfast, she quickly set up the net on the terrace below the roof shade and brought another racket for her mom.

They started with some warmup and began playing. The game was going on very smoothly with no sign of Tiya losing. But it did not go for too long. Her mom hit a great shot.

While Tiya went to pick up the shuttlecock that had flowen away by her mom’s fast shot, her mom just looked at her and smiled, seeing her goal being accomplished: to see Tiya happy in this sad time.

– Bhavya Khatri

The post The School Day: A Quarantine Story by Bhavya Khatri appeared first on All About Jaipur.

When I asked my daughter last weekend “ What will you have for dinner tonight?” . She was ready with her wishlist for the entire week and she did not left any cuisine or any dessert untouched. It had to be.Before quarantine, for us, every weekend getaway would mean having a gala dinner at the newest restaurant in town and Pizza . Her favoritePao Bhaji, Gulab Jamun,etc were a few “Out of home dishes”that were only available in restaurants.Fulfilling her wishes was “next to impossible” owing too Lockdown coupled with limited resources. As rightly said “ Time is the biggest teacher”. The quarantine has indeed made Master chefs in every home.Her taste buds got satiated by the sumptuous home cooked “wishlist”.I wonder will the “weekend outing culture” will continue to be the same after quarantine.

Last evening, in our usual “Chai pe Churcha” session, we, me and my husband,  just realised ,it was the first time that we would have stayed at home for too long, helping each other in minutest to toughest task .It is needless to say, family bond , for us grew much stronger. A family that works together stays together. Perhaps, it is not just Family bond, it is every bond that got revived in these tough times. We realised, how the virtual meetings have gained momento , and through video calls via google meet, zoom , etc, we have get back in touch with friends whom we have not talked to in years. Social distancing has actually reduced ”distances”.

Moreover, it seems to us, there will be a paradigm shift in priorities as a result of Lockdown. I would rather say revival of priorities. In the ancient times, as grandpa told, how they would keep family at first inspite of everything, how they use to strive hard to feed the family even before themselves. In our generation, work got priority over family. I personally , being realised of the fact, life is momentary and we don’t know when is our last day, would give preference to family rather than work. Work is just a part of life, not life itself.

As the discussion got further, my husband being from finance community always bring money into discussion and so he commented , “ I can look through the lens of the new culture. This will be the New Normal. “ Reduced social gatherings will reduce the spending on Birthdays, Weddings, Funerals , and an increase in spending on household essentials. I added to his thought  “Itsour youngest daughter’s first birthday next  month .We had the plans of throwing a big birthday party having all kinds of varied cuisines and inviting each and every known that we could possibly think of , lets make it a small celebration with home made feasts and just a few of us but undoubtedly the most memorable one”.

One of my closed acquaintance , in a discussion, revealed that to fight boredom, he has been playing cards from 10  A.M to 5  P.M .  And the rest of the time, it is either “Ramayana” or some ”Netflix Series”  or “anything else” . To him, Life has come to a halt. The lockdown has been the most unproductive.Every damn morning he has the same question “ What to do now? What

‘s next?”  So, is it this lockdown will make us more Internet savy and less inclined towards mother nature. May be, may not be. According to Telecom Ministry Data , India’s Internet consumption rose by 13% since the nationwide lockdown was put in place. It said the daily average consumption in this period was 9% higher than 282 PB data used on March 21 (the day the janta curfew was announced) and 13% more than March 19, when consumption was 270 PB.

The world will be a changed world. Lets accept the new way of living rather let me say it this way, accept the ancient way of living. Time is the biggest weapon and it can change everything. Soon the dust will settle down and everything will be in its place , both outside our home and inside our hearts. May be, this is how, nature revives and reinvents itself.It is time to learn unlearn and relearn from our ancestors.Life in quarantine has directly and indirectly affected life of me and my closed ones, Its time for you  to reflect how it has impacted you!

— Apurva Mamodiya

The post Back to Basics: A Quarantine Story by Apurva Mamodiya appeared first on All About Jaipur.

Throwing light on some of the safety SOPs to be followed in the events, Founder and CEO of Event Crafter, Mr. Siddhartha Chaturvedi says: “The Safety SOPs have been broadly divided into pre-event, during the event and post-event categories. There are as many as 60 safety procedures which are to be followed in an event. These include sanitization of decor material; temperature screening of every individual before entering the venue; seating arrangement according to social distancing norms; limited number of staff, among others. Wearing of masks, gloves and sanitizers both by guests and staff will obviously be mandatory. Supervisors will also be assigned to ensure that the safety protocol is being strictly followed by each individual. The hallmark of these events will be sustainable, minimal waste and intimate experiences combined with great aesthetics.”

Micro weddings and micro celebrations are the need of the hour. In these times when one has to get on with their lives whilst COVID-19, the sole object of ‘Micro by Event Crafter’ is to ensure safety whilst showcasing aesthetics which the couple or the family wishes to display for their milestone celebrations.

The post Making micro weddings safe yet special|Micro by Event Crafter appeared first on All About Jaipur.

As I look outside , down towards the road, from my terrace , I think about the scenario we had just two months ago. People were busy leading their normal , almost repetitive lives , unsuspecting of the change that was about to happen to them in a few days. Let’s dive deeper into this sea of changes that we are yet to accustom.

Before this state of being in our houses or farms or wherever you are currently residing took over our lives completely, we had such vast priorities to take care of. For parents it ranged from to see if the children went to school properly to if they are doing their homework or studies properly to managing their own busy work schedules , the list will go on. For students it was to study, be it for exams or normal school teaching. For me it’s the same I guess if you exclude the competition I have with my brother on who can complete more series than the other.

In my opinion, prior to this quarantine we prioritized socialising, going out to eat and/or being so immersed in our work or studies , we had no time to take care of ourselves let alone others.

Now due to the ample amount of time we are provided , we are reconnecting with and prioritizing   a lot of our passions and well a lot of our relatives as well(especially the ones who say that the last time they saw you you were this small or look how have you grown and other unnecessary things). We are learning new hobbies, cooking as well as baking scrumptious delicacies and binge watching our favourite shows on OTT platforms like Netflix and prime among many other past times. I mean Ramayana became the most watched show worldwide with 7.7 crore viewers.

We are taking care of our health , both physically and mentally.. For a person who overthinks a lot and gets stressed and thinks the bad of everything initially this was very difficult for me but I finally started to work on it. I started listening to music , reading more books as well as listening to various teenage podcasts like teenage therapy and study break , I started having hope and I started to become more social than I had been, at least with my  family. I also realised that you have to live every moment in the present and stress about the future later.

Anyways moving on , I was to travel this year due to the fact that I successfully steered past all those sayings of boards are coming, study. But we didn’t travel, if that wasn’t obvious and I guess that   I  was sad  at first but then I got over it. While this has provided me with a lot of change of mind and how I view things, it has badly messed up my schedules to say the least.Now the main problem is the fact that I get more sleep during online classes than at night. And  also the fact that I have urges to eat every hour. Now that’s a real concern.

But I guess that while these maybe bleak and depressing times I wish to look towards those things that are optimistic , those which are a ray of sunshine in a sky full of dark clouds and for me that is my family. Because of this we are now incredibly close and the fact that something so bad brought us together is completely ironic and very cliched but it is what is.

Now I just hope that this gets over soon so I can finally get the trip that I wanted which is probably going to be next year or 3 years later. I wish I knew.

– Lavanyaa Lodha

The post Life in the New Normal: A Quarantine Story by Lavanyaa Lodha appeared first on All About Jaipur.