Mandira's World

[mandirasworld]

My First Ugly Indian Experience

For the first time ever, we heard the inspiring story of the anonymous Ugly Indian at this year’s TEDx Bangalore.

  This anonymous team is spread across the country is working rigorously towards making our country a better (Cleaner) place to live! They are in the dirty Indian streets trying hard to clean the filth that covers our perceptions of the society.

  The Ugly Indian group involves common people like you and me: students, employed, retired… who find time to do much greater things on  weekends and holidays!

  I was shocked when I saw the harsh reality of some of our favorite Bangalore roads which was nothing like what I saw before. The images shared at the event made me angry, upset and shameful to even think of the fact that I am a part of this city. I was moved when I saw the retired/aged, children, homemakers, IT personals who were fixing spots (Yes! they call it 'spotfix' where ugly spots are 'fixed' by citizens) around us and working towards making Bangalore a place worth living.

  Things I learnt from the great speaker:

Kaam chalu, mooh bandh ( Start Working, Stop Talking)

Be the change, you wish to see!

Stop complaining! If there is a problem take a step forward and solve it.

It takes a lot of effort to change the everyday ugly Indian behaviour in public spaces (littering, spitting paan, public urination and more) and we should be ready to take this up as a challenge and participate in this nation-wide movement for a better tomorrow.

Cleanliness starts with your street.

All I can say is that I was extremely inspired by this talk and started doing my bit immediately! When are YOU starting?

[mandirasworld]

Restaurant Review: Ginger Tiger

Food

I love their stir fry bowl concept. For those who haven't visited, Ginger Tiger has a rare concept of creating your own stir fry. They give you a well designed sheet of paper, where you can mention your choice of sauces, vegetables, meat, level of spice etc, so you can simply tick your choices and hand it over to the steward and create your own dish by pairing it with either rice or noodles.

1 soup + 1 starter seals the deal.

Decor

Plus points for the dim lights, amazing ambience and has a calming effect on you. Less cluttered and even when it is crowded you don't end up hearing your neighbours’ conversations

Service

Polite stewards, manager comes over for feedback once every meal, quick service - perfect for lunch between work

[mandirasworld]

Girl Power In Bollywood

Gone are the days when Bollywood Divas were noteworthy solely in fashion. While few are busy endorse *fairness creams* and *vaginal tightening gels*, few ladies of tinsel town have the put the media into a frenzy mode for all the right reasons.

Here is my list of inspirational women in Bollywood:

Parineethi Chopra

  Stunning, Vivacious are the words usually associated with this versatile actress. Then there are day when she channels her inner goddess and verbally slays ignorant men who call periods a problem or gems such as “girls are young they like it, when they grow old they start screaming, shouting that the by exploited them”

Watch the videos here in Youtube

Discussing Sex

Discussing Periods

Psst take a look at the titles of the video in Youtube! it gives you a picture of how you are labelled when you raise your voice!

Here is a shout out to the lovely lass who has brandished her sword at the ignorance and casual attitude that the country’s media has taken about women’s issues.

Deepika Padukone

The statuesque beauty multitasks between giving us the year’s biggest hits, winning millions of hearts and taking on major media giants on their cheap tactics.

For the less informed, here is the story!

Deepika tweeted a snapshot of Times Of India’s sleazy headline (yes this was headline material for a national newspaper)

Times Of India later tried covering up their A** by saying they meant it as a compliment  (WTH does that even mean) deleted the the tweet in question. Twitter was filled with tweets expressing their outrage at this and their support to her stance.

Deepika additionally post this open letter, My Point Of View. Read on for the excerpts:

There is only ONE sign that a woman wants to have sex and that is that she says “YES”.

I have spoken out against an ideology that such regressive tactics are still being employed to draw a reader’s attention at a time when we are striving for women’s equality and empowerment.

Digging out an old article and headlining it “OMG: Deepika’s Cleavage Show!” to attract readers is using the power of influence to proliferate recessive thought.

It is not about breasts,penises,or any other body part being reported.It is a matter of context and how out-of-context the reportage is just to sell a headline. And more so during a time in dire need of an attitude shift towards women.

Kudos to this femme fatale and #IStandWithDeepikaPadukone

Nandita Das

  This list will not be complete without Ms. Das. Her campaign Dark Is Beautiful challenges the obsession with fairness and it being playing too huge a role in indian beauty standards. The cause is not helped by the market being flooded with creams to make you fairer and achieve success, get married, get a good job, attain nirvana, go to the moon and have a fairytale life.

Okay I might have exaggerated but have you seen those advertisements? Take a look at this piece of Crap advocating that fair genitals = happy relationships!

[mandirasworld]

TEDx The Bangalore Edition

TEDx was a program of local, self-organized events that brought a set of inspiring people together. This year’s Bangalore edition showcased some mind blowing speakers who covered some interesting topics.

At the event, videos and live speakers sparked a deep discussion and connection in a small group. The theme for this edition of TEDxBangalore was Challenge ____. Based on the thought that all of us are challenging something every day—Stereotypes; Conventions; Limits; Identity; Racism.

The platform brought together speakers from across India as well as from countries like Morocco, Bahrain and Lebanon who are redefining success and making it more inclusive. These are people who have challenged the status quo, challenged long held societal beliefs, challenged themselves to be better and in doing so pivoted their communities and cities into a world of possibilities.

Some of the speakers at the event were Aditi Gupta and Tuhin Paul (designer duo), Rupsa Malik (Director, Programs and Innovation at CREA), Jadav “Molai” Payeng (Mishing tribe environmental activist and forestry worker from Jorhat), Shobha Murthy  (founder of the NGO - Aarambh) and Carla Diana (designer, writer and educator).

Everything about this event was amazing! Be it the host (Super witty) RJ Sriram or the amazing performances (Slam poetry about how our nation is divided yet united, enchanting piano performance) or the inspiring videos (Still can’t get over the smile on the face of Richard Turere when he made peace with the lions or the way Joe Smith taught us a simple way to save paper!)

TEDx was a nonprofit event which was conceived with the belief that amazing things happen when money is not the motive! Don’t you agree?

[mandirasworld]

Care Packages Experiment

I was tired of whining about my pre PMS days and then hitting rock bottom when the crimson visitor drops in. Being the diva I was, I wanted to be pampered with my favorite things in my lowest days.

So I set out on a mission, to see if I can put together a package for myself within a budget.

Check out my awesome list:

  And my finds J Am I Awesome or Am I Awesome??

Drop in your thoughts and reach out to me if you want to book one for yourself (Psst I put the package together based on your budget)

[mandirasworld]

Plan A Day Trip Around Bangalore?

Bangalore, the salubrious Garden City has since long been known for its pleasant climate and green surroundings. The added advantage of this destination is the many interesting places around that make for the perfect getaway. Be it heading to a jungle camp, national park, waterfall or hills, the list is endless.

Night Trekking in Skandagiri

  Those fascinated with night trekking can head to Skandagiri, an ancient mountain fortress. Located from 70km from Bangalore, the lofty summit overlooks Nandi Hills, Muddenahalli, and Kanivenarayanapura. Also known as Kalavara Durga, the trek to this place is considered challenging but rewarding at the same time.

Bheemeshwari Forest Camp

  Want to spend some time in a calm and serene environment? Escape into the woods! The Bheemeshwari forest camp offers great scenic beauty and tranquility. If you are a nature lover, you could indulge in nature walks and spend some peaceful time exploring and sightseeing in the forest.

  Madhugiri Fort Trek

  The Madhugiri hill is the second largest monolith in Asia and is hugely popular among trekkers. The Madhugiri fort which once belonged to the Tiger of Mysore Tipu Sultan is situated on this hill and can be reached after a considerably tough trek.

The peak height is 3,930 feet and has a rock dome where the fort is situated. If you are trekking up to the peak, you will have to be very careful as the gradient can get very steep at places. However, there are several circular bastions on the way where you can rest.

The climb uphill may be a daunting task but it is certainly rewarding. The view from the peak of the hill is mesmerizing and makes you forget all about your ordeal.

  Trek to Nandi Hills

  Nandi Hills or Nandidurg is one of the most popular tourist places around Bangalore. Situated at a distance of 60 km from the capital city, the Nandi hills are a favourite destination among people looking for a quick getaway location to let off some steam and relax.

There are a number of tourist destinations in and around Nandi Hills. Very few know that there is a trekking trail to the Nandi hill peak. With clean, cut out steps, the climb uphill is fairly easy and takes you through a route flanked by lush green trees. The view from the slopes and the peak is breathtaking and completely refreshing.

Visit to Shivanasamudra Waterfalls

  Situated on the banks of the River Cauvery, the Shivanasamudra waterfalls are formed due to splitting of the river around ravines and rocks of the Deccan Plateau. The river also forms the Shivanasamudra Island during its course.

The Shivanasamudra waterfalls attract tourists from all over the country and the world because of its scenic beauty. Refreshing and relaxing, the Shivanasamudra waterfalls are the perfect location for a quick weekend getaway.

PS: I’ll keep adding new places to this list as and when I find something interesting and do-able! Lemme know if you have have travelled to any interesting places.