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JHAROKHAS: A PEEP INSIDE INDIAN CULTURE AND BEAUTY!!

India has been the land of art and culture from pre-historic time. Indian art in the form of paintings and sculptures are quite fascinating. Everybody knows about the world famous Ajanta, Ellora, and Elephanta caves. The paintings (Fresco) of Ajanta caves and sculptures of Elephanta caves have a realistic touch and tell the story of our ancient traditions and culture.

One can get a taste of Indian culture with a trip to Rajasthan. Rajasthan is also known as ‘Rangeela Rajasthan’. There is a dash of colour everywhere, in the paintings, folk songs, and even folk dances. The palaces of Jodhpur, Jaipur, and Udaipur are full of beautiful artifacts that display the talent and skill of the local craftsmen.

Rajasthan is very famous for its handicrafts and a lot of tourists come to Rajasthan to explore these handcrafted products. Colourful and bright latkans, Mashaal' are popular wall décor products. A very popular traditional wall hanging is the ‘Jharokha’. ‘ Jharokha’ basically refers to a small window. In Rajasthan, the ‘Purdah System’ was prevalent and the queens generally watched all the proceedings or functions hidden behind small and artistic windows.These were called Jharokhas. The ‘Hawa Mahal’ in Jaipur is a classic example of this.

These days the same Jharokhas have transformed into decorative pieces and adorn the walls of many homes. They are made of wood and come in different shapes and sizes. They are available in a variety of colours and you can pick one that blends in perfectly with the décor of your home. This beautiful wall hanging can also be transformed into a photo frame with a little help from the carpenter. You can even buy a set of Mashaal's and place them on both sides of the Jharokha to give a traditional feel to your wall décor.

The wide variety in colour and size makes it a great return gift for your guests.

Source: JHAROKHAS: A PEEP INSIDE INDIAN CULTURE AND BEAUTY!!

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MASHAALS: OUR FIRST WEAPONS AGAINST DARKNESS!

It was a moonless night with torrential rain falling outside. While sleeping in his cave he was thinking about today's incident. 'Fire' was not a new thing for him, he had seen it earlier but today it was different. He tried to repeat today's sequence in his mind and slowly sleep captured his thoughts.

Next day when he was trying to make his weapons and tools from the stone he tried to repeat what he had done the previous day. He rubbed the stones together and to his astonishment it was produced. Yes, a fire was produced. His reaction was mixed. He was excited and scared at the same time. It looked so beautiful. He tried to touch it but the beautiful fire burnt him. He yelped in pain and ran away from it. However, in the next few days, he discovered how to use it without getting burnt.

The result of his relentless efforts was a 'torch' made of bark and bamboo strips that lit his cave every night. He was not terrified of predator's attack now because he had a weapon that the animals were also afraid of.

Although he was not aware of what he had given to this world and how significant his discovery would be for the human race since then a torch along with a weapon of the fire has also been considered as a mark of revolution, enlightenment, knowledge, and learning.

The most famous torch of the Olympic Games signifies harmony and goodwill. The statue of liberty lifts her torch with the message "Liberty enlightening the world".

Before the advent of electricity, people started using these torches also known as Mashaal to light up their living space. In Indian palaces, there were many secret underground paths and basements which were mostly used for security purposes and one needed the help of the Mashaal to move around in these pitch dark places. In most of the palaces, you will find a designated space to place these torches on both sides of the door. Even the common man used them while travelling from one place to another.

Since everything which is unique finds its seat in today's world of modern interior decor, these beautifully crafted torches are not an exception. From old world's cave to modern world's living room these Mashaal adds a regal look to your decor.

This alluring range of decorative pieces is available in different sizes like 9 inches, 12 inches, 15 inches, 18 inches, 21 inches and 24 inches. A single Mashaal or set of two Mashaal's can be chosen according to space availability.

Elegant designs are embossed very artistically on these articles with jali work on the top. If you want an antique look you can select copper and bronze colour otherwise a wide range of vibrant colours are available to brighten up your space.

To add utility to this beautiful product a new range of Electric Mashaal's has been introduced recently. You can fix a coloured or simple bulb in the torch to transform it into a night lamp that can be hung in rooms or corridors.

Source: MASHAALS: OUR FIRST WEAPONS AGAINST DARKNESS!

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SET OF DHAL TALWAR: FROM THE BATTLEFIELD INTO YOUR HOMES!!

Set of Dhal Talwar: From the Battlefield into your Homes!!

Shield and sword also knew as Dhal Talvar symbolize courage, bravery, and knighthood. Once considered an important battle weapon, sword and shield have made its place in the modern living room as a popular decorative piece.

Dhal Talwar has a vast and very long history. In India practicing swordsmanship was common among Kshatriyas and was part of their Gurukul Shiksha. Sword was a symbol of respect and status. Warrior class used to take an oath by touching their swords.

According to history, this bladed weapon which originated from dagger evolved in 1600 BC. It was designed to cut and stab. From straight to curve and from single edge to double edge swords evolved according to time, need an army.

Swords like Talvar, kukri, khana, Pata, and firangi were mostly used in India. Talvar introduced by Mughals was a single edge weapon, curved and designed to attack and thrust.

Sword making is an ancient technology in itself. Generally, a sword has two main parts, first is the blade and other is the hilt. A blade needs to be hard as well as flexible at the same time. Hardness is required for attacking the enemy and flexibility is required to absorb attacks.

Materials used to make swords changed from bronze to copper to iron and finally steel. Most of the modern swords are made of either steel or some kind of steel alloy. Shield the most trusted companion of the sword is a personal armor. The shield is used to preventing attacks from weapons like arrows and blades like swords. According to time, place and need of the war size of shields vary from small shields which cover some part of a human body to big shields which can cover even a horse.

First used during the Bronze Age shields were made of material like wood, leather, bark, metal, and leather covered wood. The shape of this offensive weapon varied from round, oval, rectangular and triangular. War logos were embossed or engraved on these shields and decoration was done for recognition purpose.

Dhal Talwar together makes a classic pairing. Dhal with two crossed Talwars is quite a famous logo and a very popular wall hanging. An interesting fact here is, the placement of the award with the dhal gives different messages. If the Talvars are placed with their tip pointing upwards the message is 'ready to fight' and if the tips point downward the message is ' war is over'.

This duo is a stunning display of royalty and comes in different shapes and sizes. Various sizes are available and you can. Starting from 8 inches the height of the dhals can go up to 2 to 3 feet. They also come in different shapes like round, oval and triangular with different designs such as lion's mouth carved in center or clock inserted in center. You can go online browse through the entire collection and choose one that blends in with your home décor.

These dhal Talwar sets are carved out of a variety of materials

Brass Dhal Talwar: Brass gives these wall hangings a magnificent look. Being a little expensive do spend some time in choosing the most suitable piece for your wall décor.

Gunmetal Dhal Talvar: Beautifully craved edges and glorious centre made out of gunmetal give these wall hangings a real look. Purchase two sets of dhal Talwar together to give a vintage look to your wall décor. These sets are easy to maintain, simply wipe them clean with a dry cloth.

These sets are very popular online. Simply type in dhal Talwar’ in the search bar to browse through the entire range.

Source: SET OF DHAL TALWAR: FROM THE BATTLEFIELD INTO YOUR HOMES!!

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TOP 5 HANDICRAFT PRODUCTS TO GIVE A TRADITIONAL TWIST TO YOUR WALL DÉCOR

With living spaces becoming smaller the wall has become an important part of decorating one’s home. Wallpapers, wall art, wall stickers, designer wall paints are popular ways of adding colour to the wall. Handicraft products are quite popular in India and abroad and they certainly add a traditional feel to one’s home. With e-commerce, most of the popular handicraft products are available online and you can choose one that fits your requirement as well as budget.

If you don’t want to browse through the entire catalogue you can take a look at these 5 popular products that would add to your wall décor without burning a hole in your pocket.

With living spaces becoming smaller the wall has become an important part of decorating one’s home. Wallpapers, wall art, wall stickers, designer wall paints are popular ways of adding colour to the wall. Handicraft products are quite popular in India and abroad and they certainly add a traditional feel to one’s home. With e-commerce, most of the popular handicraft products are available online and you can choose one that fits your requirement as well as budget.

If you don’t want to browse through the entire catalogue you can take a look at these 5 popular products that would add to your wall décor without burning a hole in your pocket.

JHAROKHA

‘Jharokha’ is a word used to describe a small window with beautiful carvings around it. Having a ‘Jharokha’ in the house was a common practice at the time of Rajas & Maharajas. Women (under purdah system) used to peep out through ‘Jharokas’ so that no one could see them directly. These days Jharokhas are a very popular wall décor product. Made of wood multiple designs and sizes are available. You can choose an elegant copper Jharokha or a multicoloured one based on the colour of your walls. With a little help from the carpenter, it can be transformed into a traditional photo frame.

TRADITIONAL TORCH OR MASHAAL

Traditionally used to light up the palace of the king this product has been designed to give a royal look to your walls. Made of iron the designs are handpainted in multiple colours using traditional techniques. There is a provision to place a small candle inside it. A new version with the provision to add a light bulb has been introduced recently. If you purchase a set of Electric Mashaal's they not only add to your wall décor but also act as a nightlight.

These mashaals come in different sizes, starting from 9 inches and going up to 24 inches. Ideally, one should purchase a set of two mashaals but single pieces are also available.  It also serves as a great gift for your loved ones.

SET OF SHIELD AND SWORDS (DHAL TALWAR)

Another popular product here is the Dhal Talvar set. Traditionally used for fighting during the war, these days it can be seen in a lot of homes as a part of their Wall Décor. The core material is cast iron and the designs are crafted by hand. The swords are blunt and cannot harm anyone. The common colour used is copper but sometimes multicoloured sets are also available.

VINTAGE CLOCKS

Vintage Clocks are very popular wall accessories. There is a lot of variety available in terms of design and look but railway clocks with their sleek design are very popular. They resemble the old station clock which was the only way to know the time before the digital clocks were launched. These clocks are made of iron and can be easily hung on the wall.

Wooden clocks that are crafted to resemble animals such as elephant and camel and bird such as peacock are quite popular. These are made of wood and painted in bright colours and can brighten up any room.

GOD IDOLS

Wall Hangings of Indian Gods such as Lord Ganesh, Lord Krishna, Lord Balaji, Lord Krishna and Radha can be seen in a lot of homes. Different materials such as cast iron, paper mache, and wood are used to carve them. They are very popular as gift articles too.

Add any or all these articles to your wall décor and be ready to get compliments from your guests.

Source: TOP 5 HANDICRAFT PRODUCTS TO GIVE A TRADITIONAL TWIST TO YOUR WALL DÉCOR

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EXPLORING THE HANDICRAFTS OF INDIA

The word ‘Handicrafts’ refers to something that is made by hand. In this age of technology where machines are available for everything, Indian handicrafts are still very popular in the Indian as well as the global market.

Let’s take a look at some of the popular handicrafts of India

WOOD HANDICRAFTS

Woodcraft has been in existence in India even before the stone sculptures came into existence. The popular hubs for these handicrafts are Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Decorative Boxes, Table, and Chair, Vase, Serving Trays, Wall Hangings like Masks and Wall Brackets, Lamps, Vintage Clocks are some of the popular items in this category.

PAPER HANDICRAFTS

Paper Mache, developed in the Mughal Era is a famous form of paper handicraft in India. Paper pieces or pulp are reinforced with glue or starch to create a variety of articles. This craft industry is mainly located in Delhi, Rajgir, Patna, Gaya, Awadh, Ahmedabad, and Allahabad. Popular products here are wall hangings, Vase, Masks etc.

WEAVING OR EMBROIDERY HANDICRAFTS

Bandhani, Phulkari, Lucknow Chiken are some of the famous forms of these handicrafts. They are very popular in India as well as abroad. Nowadays machines are being used to get such bandhani or phulkari prints but hand woven and embroidered cloth has not lost its popularity

IRON HANDICRAFTS

Iron is another popular material used to create a variety of products. Showpieces that add to the table décor, wall hangings etc are available in different shapes and sizes.

Nowadays a variety of handicrafts are available online and people can shop for what they like from the comfort of their home.

Source: EXPLORING THE HANDICRAFTS OF INDIA

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UNDERSTANDING THE SYMBOLS OF LAUGHING BUDDHA FOR BETTER FENG SHUI

Laughing Buddha figurines are very popular and can be found in homes, restaurants and even offices. In Feng Shui, he is regarded as someone who fills your home with positivity and is associated with wealth, success, good health, career, and children. People believe that rubbing his tummy during the day takes away all the financial worries.

Nowadays Laughing Buddha is available in different positions, holding different things, you need to understand these symbols and choose the right one to get the best result.

The Legend behind Laughing Buddha

According to legend Laughing Buddha is based on a Chinese monk who lived over 1000 years ago. He roamed from one village to the other, carrying a cloth sack that had sweets and toys that he distributed amongst children. His jolly smile and protruding belly also gave him the name ‘Happy Buddha’.

Laughing Buddha can be seen carrying different things. Let’s understand these symbols and their importance

Laughing Buddha Holding an Ingot

An ‘ ingot’ is basically an oval-shaped bowl that the Buddha holds in his hands. This signifies wealth and abundance.  Place him in the money area of your home to attract wealth energy.

Laughing Buddha Holding a Bowl

The bowl represents a begging bowl that is an essential part of a monk’s life. A bowl has a great significance in a monk’s life because he uses it to beg and fulfills his needs with whatever people put in his bowl. It essentially represents renunciation because a monk gives up his daily pleasures for a higher good that is enlightenment.

In the case of Laughing Buddha, he holds this bowl which is also called the Ru Yi or Bowl of Plenty above his head to attract abundance from the Lord.

Laughing Buddha Holding a Fan

A fan or an Oogi is said to be a wish giving a fan. In olden days the King would wave the fan to tell the common folk that their wish would be granted. The fan represents joy and happiness. The fan is believed to keep all the misfortunes away.

Laughing Buddha with a Sack

The sack represents the traveling Buddha because he went from one place to the other carrying a cotton sack on his shoulders. The sack is associated with treasures. According to the belief, he will collect all your sadness and misfortune, put it in his sack and leave you with abundance and positivity. The sack also represents wealth and good fortune.

Laughing Budding Holding a Ball

The ball symbolizes a wealth ball which is supposed to bring wealth and prosperity to your home or office.  Some people believe that the ball represents wisdom. Others also interpret it as ‘peach’ that brings good health and prosperity.

Laughing Buddha Holding Beads

The beads represent meditation which is an essential part of a monk’s life. Some people also relate it to wisdom.

Laughing Buddha Holding a ‘Wu Lou’

A ‘Wu Lou’ or bottle gourd in the Buddha’s hand represents good health and longevity. According to belief Buddha holding a Wu Lou keeps illness at bay.

Laughing Buddha Holding a Stick

The stick represents a travel stick and is believed to protect you from any harm during journeys.

Laughing Buddha Holding Coins

Coins represent wealth. Buddha holding coins in his hand represents wealth and good fortune.

Laughing Buddha Playing with Children

This figure symbolizes positivity and is said to attract good fortune and positive energy to the home.

The Postures of Laughing Buddha

The Laughing Buddha can be seen in different postures. Let’s understand what these postures signify

The Standing Buddha represents ‘The Happy Buddha’ and is said to bring wealth, happiness, and abundance into your home

The Sitting Posture represents love and balance, essential factors for a happy and fulfilling life.

Taking Care of Your Buddha

You take care of your Buddha and he will take away all your worries. He is considered a deity in Buddhism as well as Feng Shui so you need to treat him with respect.

Never place him on the floor. Place him at the eye level

Never place him in the kitchen or bathroom. Ideally, he should be placed on a table facing the main door.

Never place him on the electrical equipment such as TV, Set-top box etc. Don’t surround him with electrical cables.

His birthday falls on 8th Remembering him on that day and lighting a candle in front of his statue will attract good fortune and tranquillity into your home.

In Feng Shui, Laughing Buddha statues are considered a great cure for financial worries, stress, and tension. He can take away all your worries. Understanding his symbols, his positions will help you to choose the right figure. Just bringing him into your home will not take away your worries, placing him in the right spot and giving him the respect is also important.

Source: UNDERSTANDING THE SYMBOLS OF LAUGHING BUDDHA FOR BETTER FENG SHUI

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THE TRADITIONAL ART OF BANDHANI (TIE AND DYE)

Bandhani or tie-dye is a traditional process in which the cloth is tied into many tiny bindings to form a figurative design. The term bandhani is derived from the Sanskrit word banda ("to tie").  The earliest evidence of Bandhani can be found in the remnants of Indus Valley Civilization where dying was done as early as 4000 B.C. The earliest example of the most pervasive type of Bandhani dots can be seen in the 6th-century paintings depicting the life of Buddha found on the wall of Cave 1 at Ajanta. Bandhani is also known as Bandhej, Bandhni, Piliya, and Chungidi in Tamil as per the regional dialect.Leheria or leheriya derives from the word lahar, meaning wave is another unique form of tie-dye technique used in Rajasthan. Other tying techniques include Mothra, Ekdali, and Shikari, they are differentiated depending on the manner in which the cloth is tied. The final products are known by various names like Khombi, Ghar Chola, Patori and also Chandrokhani etc.The art of Bandhani is a highly skilled process. The technique involves dyeing a fabric which is tied tightly with a thread at several points, thus producing a variety of patterns like Chandrakala, Bevan Baug, Shikari etcetera; depending on the manner in which the cloth is tied. The main colours used in Bandhani are yellow, red, blue, green and black.The main colours used in Bandhani are natural.As Bandhani is a tie and dye process, dying is done by hand. Nowadays Bandhani is used in a variety of ways. From suits to Kurtis to sarees to lehenga choli to dupatta it has become quite popular among women. Since the entire work is done by hand these fabrics are expensive. These days cheap imitations are available in the form of printed Bandhani. As a customer, it is very difficult to differentiate between the two.In Gujarat and Rajasthan, a new bride gets a Bandhani Saree either from her mother or mother in law and it is considered auspicious to wear it on important occasions.

Source: THE TRADITIONAL ART OF BANDHANI (TIE AND DYE)

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EXPLORING THE HANDICRAFTS OF INDIA

The word ‘Handicrafts’ refers to something that is made by hand. In this age of technology where machines are available for everything, Indian handicrafts are still very popular in the Indian as well as the global market.

Let’s take a look at some of the popular handicrafts of India

WOOD HANDICRAFTS

Woodcraft has been in existence in India even before the stone sculptures came into existence. The popular hubs for these handicrafts are Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Decorative Boxes, Table, and Chair, Vase, Serving Trays, Wall Hangings like Masks and Wall Brackets, Lamps, Vintage Clocks are some of the popular items in this category.

PAPER HANDICRAFTS

Paper Mache, developed in the Mughal Era is a famous form of paper handicraft in India. Paper pieces or pulp are reinforced with glue or starch to create a variety of articles. This craft industry is mainly located in Delhi, Rajgir, Patna, Gaya, Awadh, Ahmedabad, and Allahabad. Popular products here are wall hangings, Vase, Masks etc.

WEAVING OR EMBROIDERY HANDICRAFTS

Bandhani, Phulkari, Lucknow Chiken are some of the famous forms of these handicrafts. They are very popular in India as well as abroad. Nowadays machines are being used to get such bandhani or phulkari prints but hand woven and embroidered cloth has not lost its popularity

IRON HANDICRAFTS

Iron is another popular material used to create a variety of products. Showpieces that add to the table décor, wall hangings etc are available in different shapes and sizes.

Nowadays a variety of handicrafts are available online and people can shop for what they like from the comfort of their home.

Source: EXPLORING THE HANDICRAFTS OF INDIA

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LORD GANESH: THE LORD OF NEW BEGINNINGS

Lord Ganesh is one of the most loved Gods in Hinduism. In most of the households, a new task begins with the worship of Lord Ganesh. His name has become synonymous with beginnings and people often say ‘Shree Ganesh Karen’ in Hindi which means ‘Let’s Start’.  He is also called the ‘Vighnaharta’ or the remover of all obstacles. People believe that praying to him before starting a new task will remove all the barriers that might prevent the successful completion of the task.

There is a very interesting story behind how Lord Ganesh came to be revered as the Lord of New Beginnings in the Shiva Purana. One day Lord Ganesh and his brother Lord Karthikeya were having an argument on who is wiser amongst the two. The argument went on for a long time without any result. Lord Narad decided to end the predicament by organizing a competition between the two.

According to the competition, the first one to circle the earth three times would be the winner and would be declared the wiser one. As soon as Naradmuni finished speaking Karthikeya mounted his Vaahan (vehicle in English) the Mayur or Peacock and flew away to complete the task. Now Lord Ganesh’s Vaahan is the Mouse and he knew that the mouse would not be able to beat the Peacock. He closed his eyes, folded his hands and circled around his parents three times, and declared himself as the winner.

When Lord Narad questioned him, he smiled and calmly told him that for every child his parents are his world and since he fulfilled the condition of the competition first he should be considered as the winner. Shivji was extremely happy with his son’s wisdom and gave him the boon that he would be worshipped before the start of any ceremony or pooja. That is how he became the Lord of New Beginnings.

In Hinduism, it is considered auspicious to keep Ganesha idol in homes as well as offices. It is believed that he attracts good luck and tranquility. Ganesh idols and wall hangings are very popular gift items. These statues and wall hangings are crafted out of different materials such as marble, gunmetal, paper mache, brass, glass etc. These days Lord Ganesh can be seen in a variety of poses in the wall hangings and idols.

With living spaces getting smaller wall hangings are becoming more popular

POPULAR POSES OF LORD GANESH

LORD GANESH PLAYING A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT:

In several wall hangings, Lord Ganesh can be seen playing different instruments such as Dholak, Daphlee, Harmonium, Tabla and sometimes even Harp. Gun Metal or cast iron is a popular metal that is used to craft these wall hangings. The idols are easy to clean, maintain and reasonably priced.

LORD GANESH IN WRITING POSE:

Another popular pose of Lord Ganesh is where he is shown sitting and writing the Mahabharat. He is wearing glasses and has a look of deep concentration on his face. This wall hanging is a great gift for your loved ones too.

THE FACE OF LORD GANESH

Another popular pose of Lord Ganesh is simply his face carved in metal or paper mache. These wall hangings are beautifully crafted and come in different sizes.

Bringing Lord Ganesh to your home is considered auspicious and a Ganesha statue or wall hanging will definitely bring positivity and attract peace and good luck to your home or office.

Source: LORD GANESH: THE LORD OF NEW BEGINNINGS

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5 INNOVATIVE HOME DECOR HACKS

People usually give a lot of thought to decorate their home. But sometimes it is difficult to find innovative ways to make your home decor unique. In this article, we will be discussing some amazing decorating hacks that can significantly make the home unique.

Here are top 5 innovative home decor hacks that will mesmerize your guests:

Pile On Layers:

You should have understood how making use of a simple scarf on your denim makes it look stylish and elegant. The same thing goes for your home also. You don’t have to buy a lot of stuff before decorating your home. Simply cover your sofa with items like Turkish towels, abaya, exotic textiles and other related types of things. If you see stains, clean them quickly. To decorate more, you can place medium-sized rugs on the floor. This simple decor hack will certainly attract your guests.

Hide Wires:

In most homes, you will usually see many wires all over the places. A simple way to make your home look unique is to cover up the wires. Cables are needed, but they do not look good when they are seen hanging all over the home. There are several innovative ways to hide wires in your home without spending a lot of money. Some of the creative ways to hide wires in your home are by making use of shower rod or by using mouldings on the wall.

Colorful Outlets And Switches:

In most homes, what you will find is that almost all the outlets and switches are of the same colour. To make your home unique than other people, you can decide to use colourful cases for the outlets and switches. You don’t need much money to make your switches and outlets colourful. Take a scrapbook paper and start making your outlets and switches colourful. Unleash your creativity and make your home colourful.

Use Vintage Items:

Instead of using commonly available products in your home, you can try to use vintage items. It will make your home look different from others. For example, you can decorate your home with an old wooden table, depression-era jadeites dishes, and some other classic items. You can make use of vintage items in your kitchen, guest room, home gym and other rooms in your home.

Entryway Cabinet For Keys:

This decorating hack will make your home unique and will also keep you away from the difficulties associated with managing keys. Create an Adidas cabinet for keys at the entrance, so it becomes visible, and people will admire your creativity after seeing it.

Conclusion:

Here are the five decoration hacks to make your home look unique, I hope you all loved them. Experiment with these decorative hacks and keep your home and your surrounding unique.

About The Author

Rachel Stinson has always had a knack for writing, food, fashion, and places. Blogging has combined all four for her with an added bonus of enthusiastic audiences. She expertly analyzes real estates, restaurants and online fashion stores with respect to pricing and people involved and can express her opinions in an unhesitant, engaging manner for all matters.

Source: 5 INNOVATIVE HOME DECOR HACKS

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TOP 10 GIFTS FOR YOUR LOVED ONES FOR CHRISTMAS

Winter is finally here and along with it the colourful festive vibes of Christmas. The most beautiful holiday season brings along with it, lots of cheer, laughter, lights – but most importantly, lots of gifts. From getting our stockings filled with gifts from Santa to exchanging them with loved ones – we have all come a long way. But choosing a gift for any occasion is not that easy. Whether to go for something sophisticated or to keep it minimal and personal – the questions are many. Here are some really good options that you can pick from as your Christmas gifts for near and dear ones.

Hanging votive or light holders:

Any festival calls for lots of lights around the house, and Christmas is no different. A lovely tea light or candle holder will be an ideal gift for this season as it will be a perfect utility item for the festival as well as a great addition to the aesthetics of the home décor as well. At Apkamart, you will find an exquisite range of decorative light holders – there are traditional ones resembling antique lanterns as well as modern ones in unique and innovative shapes.

Hand-knit scarves:

Nothing speaks of love and warmth like a touch of your own creativity. If you are good with wool and knitting sticks, sit down for an hour or two and make some scarves. Go for a pastel base and big bright colours to highlight it with. The younger people in your household will love them, so will some of the older ones

Books:

Some things never get old – and books are the best examples of that. If the person you are gifting is someone very close and you know their personal tastes and preference, then get the latest releases and good reads from that genre and gift it with a lovely note. If you are not sure – search for bestsellers as well as old classics. They never fail a bibliophile. Jewellery:

A girl can never have too many necklaces or earrings. Search through our variety of traditional as well as contemporary pieces and choose the perfect one for your wife, sister, mother or girlfriend. Nothing can be better than giving the women in your life an excuse to deck up on Christmas Eve. Old music albums:

Remember how mixed tapes were a rage back in the days? Well, a jukebox is the latest version of it, where you can put in songs of different artists and albums together. It might be a virtual gift, but keeping technology in mind, it is a great one. Put in the old classic hits of the golden era and as well as some of the Christmas carols from childhood. It will hit the right chords with nostalgia. Wall hangings:

Wall hangings are always a safe and at the same time, sophisticated option for gifting. Go for unconventional and distinctive pieces that go with the charming feeling of the season and speak for your sense of aesthetics. Here at our site, you will find different designs and patterns that will look elegant and classy on the walls.

Goodie hampers:

Goodie hamper is a great idea for a gift when you have little time to invest but want to make it special nevertheless. Buy a jute basket or if you want a sturdier version of it, you can even choose from our decorative boxes at Apkamart, fill them with dry fruits, titbits, chocolates, crackles and some other small things that your loved ones might like, cover it with a see-through cellophane paper, tie it up with ribbon and voila! Your gift is all ready to go. Online memberships:

Online memberships are the latest trend in gifting. There are a number of online academic, library and streaming sites which ask for a monthly or annual subscription or membership amount. This is especially a useful gift for your kids or other younger family members whose lives revolve a lot around the internet.

Decorative clocks:

Gifts are temporary, love and friendships are timeless. To celebrate such relations, gift your loved ones authentic traditional vintage clocks that will remind them of the bygone times as well as the new and better times to come. These elegant timepieces available on our website make excellent gifts for this holiday season.

Designer Diaries:

With Christmas, New Year is also knocking right at the door and if the person for whom you are gifting has a habit of writing one, gift them a diary or journal to organise their daily schedules and record their everyday experience. There are some beautiful leather-bound diaries in our collection too. Choose from a range of designer diaries mad with handmade paper to help your loved ones remember how they kicked off 2018.

We hope these ideas would help you in choosing the perfect gift for your loved ones. If you want to add anything to the list feel free to mention it in the comments section. Happy Shopping!

Source: TOP 10 GIFTS FOR YOUR LOVED ONES FOR CHRISTMAS

[kanthirekha-blog]

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN KOLKATA

Kolkata – known to the whole world as the City of Joy is a 320 plus years old city standing and evolving every day ever so proudly along the banks of river Hooghly. Just a few days ago, the city celebrated yet another birthday on 24th August – the date which is officially considered as the founding date of Kolkata.

History says that on this date, Job Charnock, who is accredited with the founding of Calcutta, first came to the village of Sutanuti as a representative of the British East India Company to establish a factory and also on the very date, he finally established British jurisdiction in the land. Later on, when the British started their colonial rule in India legitimately, under Queen Victoria’s reign, Calcutta was the capital of the whole empire.

Even though the capital was shifted to Delhi in 1931, Calcutta remained one of the most important administrative and cultural centres of the country. It also got the first underground metro rail network in India. Calcutta, which got its new name Kolkata in 2001, has raised many great personalities who made the country proud at the global stage. From a whole lot of freedom fighters like Khudiram Bose, Surya Sen, Binoy-Badal-Dinesh to great reformers like Raja Rammohan Roy, Vidyasagar, Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and modern-day icons like Satyajit Ray and Saurav Ganguly.

But apart from all of that, the city itself is as beautiful and full of colour and festivity as it comes. People who have visited the place have surely complained about the humidity, crowd and pollution; but they have also been enchanted by the absolute heartiness and warmth the city has to offer.

But Kolkata is much more than rosogolla, machherjhol and Howrah Bridge.If you are planning on taking a trip to the City of Joy anytime soon, here are the places you must pay a visit:

VICTORIA MEMORIAL

A visit to this monument is equivalent to visiting Kolkata. Surrounded by an extensive garden and a lake, this structure was built in an early 20th century in the memory of the late queen of England, Queen Victoria, as the name suggests. There is a grand statue of the monarch right in the middle of the stone path that leads up to the main building from the front gate. There are statues of other eminent British personalities too like Outram, Curzon, Dalhousie, Hastings and so on. The revolving angel atop the dome is used worldwide as an unofficial emblem of the city.

Inside the building are galleries which serve as museums for scriptures, craft items, weapons, coins, stamps, textiles, paintings, artefacts, copies of rare books and important documents during the British Raj, and some of the queen’s personal belongings. On one hand, the Memorial is ideal for art-lovers because of its brilliant Indo-Saracenic revivalist architectural style and on the other, it is a storehouse of glimpses into the yesteryears. A magnificent reminiscence of the glorious Victorian era, this place is a must-see in the city.

PRINSEP GHAT

Not so far from Victoria Memorial stands the edifice constructed in memory of the Anglo-Indian scholar and antiquary, James Prinsep. He was known for deciphering many ancient scriptures and texts, including being the first to decipher the Ashokan edicts in Brahmi scripts dating back to Before-Christ era. The building in itself is a white stone one made in Greek and Gothic styles, but the main attraction of the place is its scenic beauty. Crossing the structure and the rail-lines of the circular railway that runs around the city (which also has a station there at PrinsepGhat), there is a riverfront pathway stretching for 2 kilometres from PrinsepGhat to BabuGhat. It is maintained by the State Govt. and is illuminated and beautified and is dotted with food and drinks stalls and renovated ghats for people to sit and relax.

People gather here from around the city during the evening to witness the stunning beauty of the place. The scenery created by the setting sun along the glistening water of River Ganges and the great Vidyasagar Bridge across the waterbody is bliss for the eyes.

PARK STREET

Park Street is not one particular place, but an entire road connecting one public transport road with another. It is perhaps the most famous road in the entire city, and rightfully so. During the British era, it used to be the location of all recreational places – diners, bars and pubs, social banquets and so on strictly meant for the English people. Indians were not allowed on Park Street.

But times have definitely changed. It is not only famous but also the most exquisite and liberal localities; and most importantly, a paradise for foodies. Occupying plot after plot are eateries of all kinds on both sides of this popular street. From cafes to confectioneries to pubs to diners – everything is available to suit your taste buds. Apart from the regulars like CCD, Barista, KFC, Dominos, Subway and so on, there is a host of other places like Moulin Rouge, Peter cat, Oly Pub, Trincas and Flury’s which have their own history and heritage. Tantra, Roxy and Someplace Else of the Park Hotel are the most famous nightclubs in the city.

These are the favourite haunts of celebrities across the town, and also of those who visit from outside, or even abroad.  The best time to come here is during the Christmas holidays, or rather the worst; because with all the pubs and high-end restaurants located here along with the winter special streetlights the Government puts up; Park Street gets too crowded for its own good. There is also an age-old Cemetery at the southern end of Park Street which is a popular haunt among youngsters and historians interested in Anglo-Indian heritage. It is beautiful in its serenity and silence.

THE INDIAN MUSEUM

Near the other gate of the Park Street, metro station is situated the Indian Museum, also known as Jadughar – the oldest and largest museum in Asia-Pacific, established in 1814 and the ninth oldest one in the whole world. Inside its vast expanse, it holds an equally extensive amount of ancient to modern scriptures, relics, documents, weapons, currencies, fossils, skeletons, mummies, paintings and artificially manufactured figures to represent the older times.

The whole place is so huge and so full of interesting facts and information that it takes an entire day to cover it entirely. With its unquestionable heritage and a bank of knowledge, it is definitely a mandatory visit for any tourist.

THE KOLKATA ZOO (ALIPORE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS)

Another by default tourist attraction of Kolkata is its zoological gardens at Alipore, a place famous for being the home to a cluster of government maintained structures including the National Library and the Central Jail. Although not the largest in India, this zoo holds over 100 species and 1200 animals on an average. Opened to the public in 1876, it is probably best known as the home of the now expired Aldabra giant tortoise Adwaita, which was reputed to have been over 250 years old when it died in 2006. It also has a generous number of Royal Bengal tigers, different species of deer, a host of reptiles, leopards, birds and many other mainstream species.

Like many other zoos, this one also has the provision of animal adoption and caretaking. Even though excessively crowded during the winter, it is still the best time to visit this place because winter is the time when more or less all the animals prefer to come out and give us a glimpse of their grandeur.

In short, winter is any way the right time to visit Kolkata because of the heat and humidity it experiences all year long, maybe except for the Durga Puja time when the city looks like a dreamland. There are many other places to visit in and around the city – the Kalighat Temple, Belur Math, Botanical Gardens, St. Paul’s Cathedral, amusement parks like Science City and Nicco Park and malls like South City and Quest. The lush green open fields of Maidan are the oxygen of the city and grassroots of age-old heritage. The ShaheedMinar, the Calcutta Race Course and of course, the Eden Gardens – all stand on these green patches. If you can fight the heat and all the pollution and traffic that even the residents of the city find disturbing, the whole city is out there for you to explore.

But in spite of that, Kolkata is still one of the most beautiful cities ever. Verses of smitten poets say that one can hear its heartbeat in the rustling and bustling through its venous cobweb-like streets – a City of Joy, rightfully so.

Source: 5 PLACES TO VISIT IN KOLKATA

[kanthirekha-blog]

EIGHT FEEL-GOOD MOVIES FOR THE WEEKEND

Aren’t we all just suckers for good movies?

Urban life and culture revolve around a good amount of time around movies and movie-related stuff. On romantic dates or friendly day-outs, we plan for a movie at the theatre; for a house party with friends, we often end up with a re-watch of our old favourite; even for a night-in all by oneself, a laptop and a good watch usually top our lists. Everybody has their own choice of genre as to which type of movies they like to watch. For some it is horror or thriller, some of the romantic movies and some others prefer science or epic fantasies.

Movies are perhaps the most widely accessed source of inspiration for art and creativity. While it is important to watch the ones with deeper meanings or the ones with far-reaching significances, it is equally important to indulge in light and feel-good watches once in a while; and contrary to the popular conception – they are definitely not always without a heart-touching story.

Here are eight feel-good, a slice of life movies from both Hindi and English languages that you can watch over the weekend:

BEFORE SUNRISE

Unlike your regular boy-meets-girl romance, Before Sunrise is a beautiful story woven with heart-to-heart conversations between the lead characters Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) after they meet on a train and decide to spend the day roaming around the city of Vienna. The plot is very minimalistic and doesn’t unfold to bigger turns of events, but the movie is unpredictably soul-stirring. The exchange of ideas and perspectives on life, death and love, revealing more than they would have done under normal circumstances and the final uncertainty of their next meeting leaves the audience in the same kind of satisfaction yet anticipation.

The movie had two more sequels about the couple’s future days but this one remains to be a refreshing watch with its honesty and simplicity.

WAKE UP SID

Wake Up Sid is one of the leading coming-of-age movies in Bollywood which has a young guy Sidhharth (Ranbir Kapoor) leaving his father’s house and financial support to pursue his dream career in photography and ends up being flat-mates with an aspiring writer from Kolkata, Aisha (Konkona Sen Sharma). She helps him in the process of realising his priorities and understanding his own responsibilities and capabilities in life.

The movie is not a love story, nor does it have a “forever after”. With both the characters somewhat settled in their own lives and yet coping with their new-found identities in the end, their life goes on; like every one of us.

CHEF

Actor-Director Jon Favreau hops into the shoes of a professional chef in this heart-warming tale of hope and family bonding. Over a difference of opinion with his former employer, he quits the job of a head chef in a leading restaurant and goes on to pursue his dream of a food truck. He lets his son join him on the tour and rekindles an emotional bond with him all the while getting famous for his tacos and burritos.

With good acts from Favreau and the rest of the cast, and a cameo by none other than Robert Downey Jr., this movie shows us how you are never too old to go back to your dreams and the emotions you left behind while running a race for life.

YEH JAWANI HAI DEEWANI

A modern-day drama full of love, friendship, adventures, weddings, colourful exotic locations and playlist-worthy songs – this movie is all that you need on a Saturday afternoon to feel better about life. With an ordinary storyline, the movie still pulls a chord or a two with the dreamers and romantics.

Assumed as yet another clichéd love story at the box office, it slowly picked up to be one of the highest grossers of the year, much helped by the refreshing performances by the actors (Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Kalki Koechlin and Aditya Roy Kapoor). The audience did not come expecting anything more than entertainment for a couple of hours, but they went back with smiles on their faces.

HOLIDAY

A love story through and through, yet not really a conventional one – Holiday is one of Nancy Meyer’s best romantic comedies. Bored of their existing lives and heartbroken in their relationships, two women – Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and Iris (Kate Winslet) exchange their residences for a month looking for peace of mind. But they happen to find love in the most unexpected person, in the most unexpected way.

A simple movie with complex and totally relatable emotions, the movie is as feel-good as it gets; and it also has a happy ending!

ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA

The second movie directed by the talented Zoya Akhtar, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara has become a cult-classic movie among the modern day movie-goers. With three childhood friends catching up on a long-due trip to Spain just before the wedding of one of them, the movie brilliantly explores life and its dilemmas in a way that has not quite been seen before. A stellar performance by the lead cast – Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan and Abhay Deol brings out three very real, humorous, emotional and conflicted human beings while they indulge in three different adventure sports – each chosen by one of them.

We see them overcome their fears, deal with their uncertainties and face their doubts and finally come out as better people, to some extent. Probably worth a million times watch, ZNMD never stops to inspire the mind and heart, young or old.

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION

The story of how Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a successful banker is falsely accused of murdering his wife and her lover and is sentenced to life imprisonment at the Shawshank Prison; how he befriends Red (Morgan Freeman) and becomes a very unconventional prisoner; and how he finally manages to achieve freedom in the end is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Not exactly what you would call a light-watch, yet this movie is one of the best of those movies which will leave you happy yet moved in the end. The climax, with all its jaw-dropping twists and turns, still punches a feel of clean victory extremely hard. No wonder the movie tops the IMDb list of all-time best movies.

QUEEN

The final one on the list is the king or we should probably say the queen of feel-good movies in recent times in Bollywood. Ditched by her fiancé right on the day of marriage, a shy and timid Rani decides to go on her honeymoon to Europe all by herself. Being all lost and confused by a totally different continent, culture and language, soon she finds her feet, makes a bunch of awesome friends and gains a much-needed sense of liberty and independence that her life back in India never allowed.

Kangana Ranaut killed it on screen, perfectly portraying the butterfly effect of Rani, where she evolves and grows without clinging on to any negativity. A story of a young woman stretching her emotional boundaries in unfamiliar situations and fighting for her self-respect in the most subtle manner, Queen is the movie we all needed very badly.

SOURCE: EIGHT FEEL-GOOD MOVIES FOR THE WEEKEND

[kanthirekha-blog]

10 FEEL GOOD MOVIES OF ALL TIME

Many a time, we come across situations that take the life out of us. Situations that we aren’t in control of, but ones that we have to face anyway. Maybe it’s an annoying boss towering over you for being two minutes late to a meeting, maybe it’s a professor giving you extra work, or maybe your significant other has ditched you for their friends. Life keeps throwing us lemons, but is it always possible to make lemonade? Do we always find sugar and water to make the best out of a bad situation?

Well, no. And for this purpose, exists an escape route. Some people like to drown themselves in music, some like to read and transport themselves into another dimension. Some people eat their sorrows, while some sweat it out in the gym. For me, movies are the best escape there is. There is hardly anything better than losing yourself in the lives and stories of other people, and while doing so, forgetting your troubles too.

There are movies that make you sad and make you wish you’d never watched them, thus deepening your sorrows instead of blurring them. And then there are movies that make you feel warm from within, movies that leave you happy and glowing in the end and restore your faith in life. Here are a few such movies that you can dive into when you’re down.

The pursuit of Happiness:

This is a story about a man, Chris Gardner, who is suddenly faced with fierce troubles all at once after losing his life savings in a failed investment, his wife leaving him and him being left alone to take care of his son. What follows is a wonderful journey of self-discovery and overcoming situations that were once considered unconquerable. This movie shows us that no matter how bad it gets, there’s always a way out even from the deepest pit.

Queen:

Queen is a Bollywood movie that shook the industry and altered so many perceptions about life. It is the story of a young woman named Rani who comes from a conservative North Indian family and is engaged to a man who moves out of the country after the engagement. On his return, he ditches Rani on the grounds of her being too simple for him. What could have been a huge tragedy in her life turns out to be a much-needed point of self-realization. She proceeds to her honeymoon to Paris all by herself and in the journey, discovers life and joy and people and relationships. A must watch for everyone who’s wading through life and needs just a little bit of inspiration.

The Devil Wears Prada:

This movie is the journey of a freshly-out-of-college girl, Andrea Sachs, who is highly motivated to make it as a writer. But fate played its magic and she ended up as the junior assistant to the owner of a high profile fashion magazine. What follows is her struggle to fit in and excel in a completely alien universe, how she somehow manages to do that while being true to herself, the ups and downs that she faces and how she emerges out of the journey, changed. This movie is complete entertainment with a deeply rooted life lesson pitched here and there. Delightful is the word.

Dil Chahta Hai:

Dil Chahta Hai is one of the biggest iconic movies in the Hindi film industry. Outwardly, the plot seems just like one of the many that exist in the industry, a group of friends and their journey. But what makes this movie special is how relatable the characters are. This movie is the story of three inseparable boys, just out of college, and their wildly varied approach to relationships that change the dimensions of their lives considerably. A feel-good movie if there ever was one, this story weaves in and out of drama and comedy perfectly.

50 First Dates:

50 First Dates is one of the cutest romantic movies ever made, starring Adam Sandler who is basically the king of boy-next-door romance/comedy. This is the story of commitment-phobic Henry, who meets Lucy and thinks he’s finally met the one. But as he falls in love with her, he discovers a startling fact about her that would normally deter other people. But he continues to live hopefully and that is what makes this movie so heartwarming. A must watch for people like me who live for cute, romantic comedies like this one.

Ratatouille:

If you’re someone who binges watches cookery shows, you will love this movie. Ratatouille is the story of a rat named Remy and how he desperately wants to become a chef (for humans, of course). However, he fails to realize that humans hate rats, but eventually finds a way into a kitchen and becomes a renowned chef in Paris. It is an animated movie that is perfect for kids as well as adults. And if you love food and everything about it, you will absolutely love Ratatouille.

Swades:

This movie is about Mohan, a project manager in NASA who one day decides to go back to India to meet his childhood nanny, who took care of him like a mother. Skeptical of the rural scenario that he faces after living in the US for so long, he finds trouble in adapting to the circumstances. However, once he gels with the villagers, the bonding is a beautiful thing to watch. He helps the village overcome major problems and makes their lives better than when he had found them, in the process, falling in love with an old friend. A heartwarming film to the core, Swades also has very moving music throughout the movie.

The Ugly Truth:

This is a huge chick flick if there ever was one. The Ugly Truth is a story of die-hard romantic Abby and forever cynic Mike, who at first hate each other (of course). But as fate would have it, they end up working together and radically changing each other’s views about love until, obviously, they fall for each other. If you’re stressed and looking for an outlet, this mindless romcom is perfect for you. It makes you laugh and then laugh some more.

Bride Wars:

Another chick flick, but a hilarious one at that. Bride Wars is what its name suggests, about two warring brides. Emma and Liv, two friends who have been inseparable since childhood, become arch enemies when they accidentally schedule their dream weddings on the same date and refuse to move the date. What follows is a series of events trying to bring each other down, and that’s when hell freezes over. This movie is perfect if you just want to relax with a tub of popcorn after a long, hard day and laugh your troubles away.

Finding Nemo:

Now, hear me out. Most of us have seen this movie as a child but what’s to stop you from watching it again as an adult? Finding Nemo is probably Disney’s best creation ever. An animated movie about a clownfish who sets out to find his kidnapped son Nemo and befriending an eccentric fish along the way, Finding Nemo is a roller-coaster of a movie. The cuteness of the little fish baby, the authenticity with which the sea world has been portrayed leaving nothing untouched including schools for baby sea creatures and the emotions and a very realistic relationship between father and son are what make this movie an absolute delight to watch after a long, hard day.

So sit back and relax on your stressful days with this list of feel-good movies that will definitely leave you revitalized at the end!

Source: 10 FEEL GOOD MOVIES OF ALL TIME

[kanthirekha-blog]

FRIENDS OR HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER?

When it comes to art and entertainment, inspiration is a common thing. Many artists use inspiration from their idols to perfect their own art. In the same way, many movies and television shows are often a based on another work of art. A win-win situation for both parties, right?

However, there is a fine line between inspiration and outright copying. There exists a difference between being so impressed by someone’s work that you choose to reflect that in your own work, and straight up copying important parts from someone and passing it as your own. While that may seem like a harsh assessment, one such example is How I Met Your Mother, which is supposedly ‘inspired’ from the iconic 90’s sitcom, Friends. Those who have watched both cannot deny that How I Met Your Mother has taken large portions of Friends, be it plot points or characters, and placed them in its own storyline. And if you someone does deny it, make them read this.

Base Story

To start off, both sitcoms start off with a group of twenty-something friends, living and trying to make it in New York. The main plot revolves around the main character (Ross and Ted) and his love interest (Rachel and Robin). While they’re all involved in some sort of work, at the end of (or even during) the day they assemble at one place to hang out and just chill with the gang (MacLaren’s Pub for How I Met Your Mother, Central Park for Friends). And multiple times during the show, you will wonder whether or not these people even have jobs because they seem to spend all day (and night) in these joints, or doing everything but work.

Characters

There are startling similarities between almost all main characters in the two shows. Both have a nerdy guy (Ross and Ted), a formerly rich career woman (Rachel and Robin), a mom friend (Monica and Lily), the funny guy (Chandler and Marshal) and the adorable womanizer (Joey and Barney). Having established that, let’s go into the details of each of these characters and how many traits and incidents have been used for both shows.

The Nerdy Guy

In the pilot episode, the nerdy guy falls for the career woman believing her to be ‘The One’ and eventually, after a whirlwind of on again, off again romances end up with her. Both characters end up being a professor, and eventually dating a university student, which breaks off later. They’re both know-it-alls and love correcting people, which obviously annoys the group. Both have a long developed obsession each- dinosaurs for Ross and buildings for Ted. Both characters have dated/been married to someone who later turns out to be a lesbian.

The Career Woman

The career woman in both shows is an outsider of the group, becoming a part of it in the pilot episode of the series. They both have a will they/won’t they situation with the nerdy guy and after an entire season, end up dating him. Both relationships end exactly after a year, a post which they remain friends throughout the series. The last episode of both series shows them finally getting back together again for good. Both are shown to be horrible at cooking at some point in the show. Both Rachel and Robin are portrayed as a very attractive female in the series.

The Funny Guy

Although in this case, similarities are less, they exist. The funny guy in both series becomes, or is the love interest of the mom friend, and end up marrying her. They both hate their jobs at one point, a post which they quit and stay at home. They join other jobs of their liking soon enough, at very base levels. And of course, they both meet their best friend, the nerdy guy, in college, and remain friends long after that.

The Womanizer

They’re both playboys, but we cannot hate them anyway. They both have one huge obsession each, food for Joey, and suits for Barney. Both fall for the career woman at some point in the show but hide their feelings because of her and the nerd’s past. They also date the career woman but both relationships fail after a while. And also, both womanizers officiate the funny guy and mom friend’s wedding (and cry while at it, but that could be anybody).

The Mom Friend

Both shows have a nurturing, dependable friend in the group. They end up marrying the funny guy in the show. Both Monica and Lily love being in control, one more than the other. They’re both obsessed with one thing each- cleaning for Monica and shopping for Lily. Both love cooking. And both have pregnancy problems in their respective marriages.

There are also some mild similarities between Phoebe and Lily. Both had a troubled past, one more than the other of course, leading them to be distant from the remaining members of their respective families. Both characters have had a dark, fearsome reputation as teenagers, as shown on multiple times on the show (Phoebe being a mugger and Lily being a goth punk teen that the neighbourhood children were terrified of).

Birthday Break up

A small similarity, but one nonetheless. Both Friends and How I Met Your Mother has had an episode wherein a character from the show breaks up with a girl on her birthday. Funnily enough, both these characters have been played by the same actress, Anne Dudek.

Dating the Therapist

Both the shows have had the main character date a therapist (Roger in Friends and Kevin in How I Met Your Mother) at some point, which obviously included the therapist analyzing the characters’ friends and thereby offending them all.

Not Moving Away

Remember how Rachel got a job in Paris and almost went through but for Ross and cancelled her plans at the last moment? And remember how Ted was all set to move to Chicago but didn’t because he met Tracy at the wedding? Yeah.

Sexual Scares

Friends had an episode named ‘The One with the Princess Leia Fantasy’ wherein Rachel played out Ross’s fantasy which was ruined because she turned into his mother (in his head, of course).  The episode ‘Noretta’ from How I Met Your Mother had similar plot lines, where many characters experience the same deal (Barney and Nora, Lily and Marshall, Robin and Kevin).

The list could go on and on about many tiny incident details, character similarities, cast repetition, etc. but the point has been made. You can choose your favourite, but the fact remains that How I Met Your Mother can at some point be called hugely inspired by everyone’s beloved Friends.

Source: FRIENDS OR HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER?

[kanthirekha-blog]

7 SUPER EASY AND INTERESTING DIY HOME DECOR IDEAS

Decorating your home is not the easiest task there is, especially when there are hundreds of products you can choose from over the internet as well as the stores around you. You want your home to reflect your personal sense of style and mirror your personality in all the decor that you use in your home. So why not take off some time from your busy schedule and create decor items by yourself for your lovely home? It is not nearly as difficult as it sounds.

Here are a few DIY decor ideas you can use in your home and liven it up beautifully

1. Bottle Lamps

Bottle lamps are the latest fad in the home decor area of fashion, and you can see why. Not only are they attractive and make your home a brighter, more beautiful place to live in, they are also inexpensive. Here’s how you can make one in your home!

What You Need:

A wine or beer bottle

Fairy lights (one meter or so)

Acrylic paint

Paint brushes

What To Do:

Clean a wine or beer bottle thoroughly and dry it well. Use acrylic paints only, as they are waterproof, to paint any design of your choice on the bottle. This is your chance to explore your creativity!

Leave it to dry for 24 hours. Attach the fairy lights to a socket and put the rest of the cord inside the bottle. Place the bottle lamp in a dim room and watch how beautiful the designs look when illuminated!

2. Ice Cream Stick Frames

This is a very simple and very delightful home decor idea. You can make these frames easily and it takes no time at all! Make a montage of these frames with photographs of your loved ones for your walls and beautify your home in a jiffy!

What You Need:

Ice cream sticks

Photographs in small sizes, preferably 4x4 inches

Sketch Pens

Card paper or cardboard

Glue

Ribbon

What To Do:

Cut out a square of 4x4 inch size. Take ice cream sticks and carefully stick them on the card, using it as support. Once you have the desired size of the frame, stick your photograph on it and then go wild with the paints as you decorate it as per your choice! Attach a ribbon at the back of the frame to be able to hang it on a peg at the end. There you are, it is really that easy!

3. Rope Lamp

Take a look at this lamp and tell me who wouldn’t want it in their home? This DIY string rope lamp is a little time consuming to make, but once you are done with it, you will marvel at its beauty! Here’s how you can make this masterpiece at home.

What You Need:

A long length of thin string rope

Glue, preferably Fevicol or similar

A bulb

A balloon

A big paintbrush (size 10-12)

Soda can

What To Do:

Mix equal parts of glue and water together to make a smooth mixture. Blow up a balloon up to the size you want your lamp to be. Take a soda can and tape up the balloon on it, leaving some space at the mouth. Cut up a long piece of string rope and soak completely in the glue mixture, take it out immediately, strain some of the excess glue and start placing it on the balloon randomly. Wrap the entire balloon repeating the same procedure till you get something close to what you see in the image above. Leave it to dry for a day.

Once completely dry and rock hard, pop the balloon, and there you are, you have your rope lamp! Insert a bulb and attach it to the lamp. Hang it up anywhere in your home and watch how it beautifies the room immensely and instantly.

4. Ice Cream Stick Plant Holder

This beautiful plant holder can be made by you in a few easy steps, and it is nearly not as difficult as it looks! And the best part is, you can use this DIY stand to hold any showpiece you have in your home just as flawlessly. If you have a few hours, you can make this right now!

What You Need:

A sheet of paper

Lots of ice cream sticks, about 100-150

Strong glue

Paint (any color you desire, optional)

What To Do:

Draw a hexagon on a sheet of paper. Take 6 ice cream sticks and glue them together on the borders of the drawn hexagon, as shown in the image below.

Slowly, build up layer upon layer of ice cream sticks up to a minimum 15 to 20 layers. Make sure the glue you use is strong enough to hold medium weights.

Once ready, take off the paper and paint the plant holder in any color of your choice (rust gold or silver, and bronze colors look absolutely smashing). Leave it to dry for a few hours and your DIY plant holder is ready to use!

5. Fairy Lights Wall Photo Hanger

This DIY craft is so easy, you will wonder why you’ve waited this long to make it. It is perfect for one’s bedroom, but that’s totally upon you! How would you like to have a wall full of photos and lit in such a beautiful way that it brightens up your entire room? Learn how in these simple steps!

What You Need:

4 meters fairy lights

Polaroid photos or regular small-sized photo prints

Few nails

Small pegs or stationery pins

What To Do:

Mark spots on your wall where you want the lights to pass through, on two sides of a wall. Hammer nails on those spots, and hang the lights on those nails in a criss-cross manner, as you see in the image above. Once this is done, clip on the photos to different spots on the fairy lights and voila! Your wall photo hanger is ready!

6. Sea Shell Picture Frame

If you are a beach lover, this picture frame made of shells will blow you away. And you can make this beautiful shell picture frame yourself! All you need is as many pretty looking shells as you can gather, or you can cheat and buy some fake ones at a store. Learn the steps here.

What You Need:

Seashells

Card Board

Glue

Scissors

What To Do:

Cut out a frame of the size you want from a strong, thick piece of cardboard. If you have something in wood, that works too. Glue the shells onto the frame, and be careful not to clutter it with too many at once. Once done, attach the picture you want to be framed behind the frame you just made, and there, your seashell picture frame is ready!

You can even experiment with stuff like sand, pebbles, and sticks of wood to make an even better masterpiece of a frame! Here are some ideas:

7. Fairy Lights Backlit Canvas

Fairy lights are a big decor hit this season and why shouldn’t they be? You can use these lights to liven up your room in so many different ways, it is almost unbelievable. This backlit canvas is one of these DIY decor ideas that you can make and decorate your home with. Here’s how.

What You Need:

Canvas

Fairy lights, 1 meter should suffice

Paint or Glitter

Glue

What To Do:

If you want to go the simplest way, just apply some glue on your canvas and generously sprinkle glitter on it, such that all the glue is covered with it.

If you really want to make an effort, paint something of your choosing on the canvas which would complement the lights. Silhouettes work best here, such as a tree or a night landscape painted in black and blue. Let it dry.

Poke small holes in the canvas where you want the lights to be. Put the fairy lights through those holes from behind the canvas, and attach it to the socket. Switch on the lights and witness pure magic in front of your eyes!

So, what are you waiting for? Don your creative hat and put on those art gloves to create some fabulous home decor masterpieces with your own hand, and watch how perfectly your crafts beautify your home!

Source: 7 SUPER EASY AND INTERESTING DIY HOME DECOR IDEAS

[kanthirekha-blog]

TEN MOVIES THAT WILL LEAVE YOU HORRIFIED

We watch movies for several reasons- to rejuvenate after a tired day, to cheer ourselves up on a particularly tough day, to motivate ourselves, or sometimes, simply to scare the living daylights out of us. The horror genre is on this day, extremely creative and variant. Speaking as a horror movie enthusiast, these movies make you want to watch them despite knowing you probably won’t sleep for the next week. Yet, we can’t resist the thrill that comes from spending two hours hugging yourself tight and trying to make a horror movie without running away scared.

Here’s a list of a few such movies, which aren’t just scary, but very, very creepy as well. Read on.

The Shining

The Shining is undoubtedly one of the most bone-chilling movies of all time. With not many jumps scares and spirits and ghosts, this movie screws your head solely because of its messed up plot line. When the Torrance family of three (husband, wife, and son) move to a secluded hotel, the Overlook Hotel as caretakers in the winter, all seems normal. However, the psychic son’s psychic abilities, or his ‘shining’ tells him his father will face a fate similar to the previous caretaker, who had lost his mind in the large, mountain-locked hotel and killed his family. The kid’s alter ego gives several warnings to the family post experiencing horrifying, blood-soaked visions in the hotel. Soon, the unsuspecting wife discovers her son’s problems and what the hotel has done to his husband.

Let Me In

This is the story of a seeming romance between two pre-teenagers. Twelve-year-old Owen is constantly bullied and tortured by his classmates. Furthermore, his divorced parents leave him neglected. Alone and tormented, he spends his days plotting revenge against his classmates and spends his evenings exploring the neighborhood and spying on the other residents of the apartment building he lives in. He only has one friend, a creepily self-obsessed young girl Abby, who lives with her single father. Frail and troubled, Abby and Owen form a unique bond. When Abby’s father disappears, she is terrified and left to fend for herself, which is when Owen offers to help her. However, she rebuffs all his efforts, which leads him to believe she has some horrifying secrets of her own.

The Exorcist

We can all agree that children in horror movies make them 200 times eerier than those with adults. Twelve-year-old Regan MacNeil begins to exhibit strange behaviour (naturally) such as speaking unfamiliar tongues and levitating. Her actress mother seeks medical help, only to reach a dead end. Battling science and superstition and her daughter’s well being, she turns to a local priest who thinks she is possessed by the devil, who requests an exorcism to be performed on the little girl to cast the devil out. This movie is full of jump scares born out of suspense, extremely graphic imagery that will chill you to the bone and fantastic performance by the young actress playing the possessed child, including crawling down the stairs with twisted limbs. Definitely not a movie for the weak.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Sally learns that her grandfather’s grave in his old home has been severely vandalized, which makes her want to visit the place as soon as possible. She sets out with a group of friends and her paraplegic brother, Franklin, to investigate the same and set things right. As they visit the grandfather’s farmhouse on a whim, they discover much to their collective horrors, that the house next door is inhabited by a family of repugnant, crazed, murderous outcasts with a taste for human flesh. Soon the head of the psychotic family, who wields a chainsaw and wears a mask, made of human flesh starts hunting down and killing the group of friends one by one, and the group is left to resort to anything and everything to survive. A terrifying thing about this movie is that it is loosely based on the true story of Ed Gein, who was also the inspiration behind the famous thriller, Psycho.

Psycho

This movie, again, is not the same old demons and spirits and possession story. This is a movie that will wreck your nerves, keep you on your toes and take away your sleep; such is the eerie factor of this movie. Psycho is a thriller by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. The story revolves around an office secretary, Marion Crane, who steals thousands of dollars from her boss to run away with her boyfriend. She encounters a horrible rainstorm on the way that leaves her exhausted. With the police on her chase, she takes unfamiliar, murky roads and winds up at the worst possible motel, where she meets Norman Bates, a young man with an unusual interest in taxidermy. Psycho weaves in its storyline, the elements of fear, desire, sexuality and the human psyche to make this movie a stellar success among horror and thriller enthusiasts.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Almost all horror or thriller movies take away our sleep for fear of nightmares or the devil and what not. A Nightmare on Elm Street is one such movie that will take away your will to even shut your eyes for a second. A group of teenagers (Nancy, Dean, Quentin, Jesse, and Kris) living on Elm Street, all begin having nightmares with one central character in all of them- a horribly burnt, disfigured man wearing a battered sweater and a glove made of knives. Like in all nightmares, the children are terrorized by this man Freddy Kruger, and the only escape is to wake up. However, after one of the kids dies a violent death, the group realizes the nightmares are in fact, real and the only way to survive the horrific events in them and live is to stay awake. Although A Nightmare on Elm Street stars a bunch of kids, it could not have been terrifying had adults been the protagonists.

The Conjuring

The Conjuring is a relatively recent supernatural horror movie that is woven into the 70’s and is possibly one of the most horrifying movies ever made in Hollywood. Carolyn and Roger, a couple with five daughters, move to a secluded farmhouse after Roger faces cuts in his job. They begin to experience strange incidences around the house which compels Carolyn to invite paranormal investigators and demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren into their home. The couple digs up the horrifying history of the farmhouse as a supernatural presence makes itself known in the house. Soon, harmless manifestations turn into deadly events, and the demon doctors are forced to intervene for the sake of the loving family. The graphics and underlying stories in this movie are what makes The Conjuring one of the top horror movies of all time.

Lights Out

If you are someone who judges a movie based on its story more than anything else, Lights Out is a treat for you. Unlike other supernatural horror movies that rely on jump scares and the fear factor, this movie focuses on the story to create the horror settings. Young Rebecca has always been afraid of the dark, since she was a child, not knowing what really happens when the lights are out. When she left her home, she thought she had put her childhood fears behind her. In the present time, her brother Martin starts experiencing the same horrifying incidences that tormented her as a child. Soon, they realize that a dangerous supernatural entity with a deep, unexplained attachment to their mother has returned to their home to agonize the family. The build-up of this movie will keep you hooked throughout, as will the revelation of the suspense.

                                                  9. Shutter

A shutter is considered to be one of the scariest movies of all time. Young Ben and Jane are newly married. They temporarily move to Japan on an extended honeymoon as Ben gets a prestigious photography assignment there. On their way to the location, in the dead of the night, their car hits a lone woman standing in the middle of the street, who seems to have appeared mysteriously. As the couple gain consciousness, they find her missing and presume her dead, or simply a figment of Jane’s imagination. They settle in and begin work but presently, eerie incidents occur that are sinister reminders of the accident. Ben begins to discover blurry ghostly images in the photographs he develops during the assignment he works on. Again, the graphics of this movie is what makes it a worthy watch. If you’re up for a scarier treat, watch the Thai version of the film with the same name.

Evil Dead

If you enjoy gory graphics, violence, plot line and most of all, possessions, all blended together, you have to watch Evil Dead, which is considered by many to be one of the scariest possession-based movies in Hollywood history. A drug addict, Mia, is determined to quit the habit and lead a sober life. To help her in the process, Mia asks her brother David to accompany her to the woods in order to help her overcome the withdrawal. The siblings, along with David’s girlfriend Natalie, and their friends Olivia and Eric set for their family’s cabin in the forest. Therein, Eric finds in his hands a book called the Book of the Dead and begins to read out loud. Unknown to him and the company, his recitations awake an ancient demon to come awake. Things spiral worse than one can imagine when the demon possesses Mia.

So without further ado, grab your popcorn, your safety blanket (and perhaps a loved one to grab on to) and tick the movies off this list one by one!

Source: TEN MOVIES THAT WILL LEAVE YOU HORRIFIED