स्पेशल आशीर्वाद!

अतुलने  वाईनचा ग्लास भरला व गॅलरीत जाण्यासाठी वळला, पण गॅलरीच्या दारात येताच, तो थबकला. नेहा आरामखुर्चीत बसनू आकाशाकडे एकटक बघत होती.  एकतर रात्र ही बरीच झाली होती व गॅलरीत लाईटही लावला नव्हता व नेहा गाढ विचारात एवढी हरवली होती की अतुल तिच्या जवळच्या खुर्चीत येऊन बसला तरी तिला अजिबात हासभासही नाही लागला.

अतुलही शांतपणे  वाईनचे घुटके घेत बसला उगाच तिच्या तंद्री मध्ये भंग नको म्हणून.

काळ्याभोर आकाशात चमचमणारे, लुकलुकणारे असंख्य तारे होते पण चंद्र मात्र नव्हता. तेवढ्यात एक तारा निखळला व वेगात जमीनीकडे झेपावला.

तिला आठवले....

प्रत्येक वेळेला तारा निखळून तिच्या ओंजळीत येई, तिच्या नसानसातून प्रवास करत तिच्यामध्ये एकरूप होई पण प्रचंड दुखाःने  प्रत्येक वेळेस तिला त्या ईटुकल्या तारयाला परत आकाशात ठेवावे लागे!

नेहाने अतीव दुखाःने डोळे मिटले.

तीन असफल आई.व्ही. एफ (I.V..F.)! व आई होण्याची जबरदस्त इच्छा ! आतापर्यंतचा तिचा प्रवास तिच्या डोळ्यासमोर एखाद्या चित्रपटासारखा तरळू लागला.

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अतुल व नेहाला दोघांनाही मुलांची आवड, म्हणून लग्नानंतर प्लानिंगचा विचार केलाच नाही. पहिले वर्ष लग्नाच्या नवलाईत सरले. दुसरे व तिसरेही करीयरच्या मागे सरले. आता मात्र नेहा जरा काळजीत पडली. दोघांच्या तपासण्या केल्या.  रीपोर्टस सांगत होते...  Unexplained infertility. डॉक्टरांनी दिलेले सल्लेही नीट पाळले. मग असे का? 

अनेक स्पेशालिस्ट कडे खेटे ही घातले. अखेर डाॅक्टरांच्या सल्ल्याने दोघांनी  जाणिवपूर्वक निर्णय घेतला..

पहिला I.V.F..

मानसिक तनाव, पैशाची तरतूद व शारीरिक त्रास! डाॅक्टरांनी ही व्यवस्थित माहिती दिली होती की ही treatment successful होईलच ह्याची शास्वती नाही.

पण आशा वेडी असते नं..

जेव्हा पहिल्यांदा यश नाही आले तर नेहाला आभाळच कोसळतय असे वाटले़. डाॅक्टरांनी कितीही समजावले तरी तिला असेच वाटले की कदाचित तिच्या चुकीमुळेच  अपयश आले.

"मी आराम नाही केला वाटत. मी खाण्यापिण्याची योग्य काळजी घेतली नाही का?" असेच विचार तिच्या मनात येई.

"नेहा, तुझे हाल मला बघवत नाहीत. आपण दत्तक घेऊ."

"प्लीज अतुल, इतक्यात  दत्तक घेण्याचा विचार नको. मला अजून जरा थांबायचे आहे"

अतुलचा भक्कम आधार होता म्हणून  आणखी 2 वेळा  I.V.F. पण मानसिक व शारीरिक वेदनेशिवाय पदरी काहीच नाही. आता नेहा फारच निराश झाली. मनाने व शरीरानेही खंगली.

"लग्नाला 9 वर्षे झाली ना ग, नेहा आमचे गायनॅक खूप अनुभवी आहेत, त्यांच्याकडे जा." बारसे असो की कुठलाही समारंभ, नेहा प्रश्नांच्या भडीमाराने हैरान होई. हळूहळू ती अशा ठिकाणी जाणेच टाळू लागली.

समाजात वावरताना, एक यशस्वी, करारी करीयर करणारी महिला, पण खासगी आयुष्यात मात्र आई होण्यासाठी हळवी व्याकुळ झालेली!

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बराच वेळ झाला, नेहा डोळे मिटून आपल्याच विचारात हरवली होती. अतुलने अलगद नेहाच्या खांद्यावर हात ठेवला.

नेहाने दचकून डोळे उघडले.

"नेहा, मी  वेगवेगळ्या संस्थेचे फाॅमस आणले आहे, उद्याच आपण दोघांनी  भरुन दयायचे आहेत. आपल्याला त्यांचा कॉल आला की मग बघ आपले आयुष्यही कसे बदलून जाईल. अग, अशी असंख्य बालक आहेत, ज्यांना आईच्या कुशीची गरज आहे."

 नेहाने गदगदून विचारले. "का, देवाने मला एक ही बाळ दिले नाही? मी काय पाप केले म्हणून मला वांझोटीचा शाप मिळाला?   खरच मी कधीच आई नाही होणार का?

"नक्कीच होणार, आपल्यासारखे आई व बाबा special असतात. कारण आपला जन्म ही ह्या (special )खास कारणासाठीच तर झालाय. आपण एका निष्पाप बाळाला आपलेसे करुन, निदान एकातरी जीवाच्या आयुष्याचे सोने करू. त्या अनाथ  निष्पाप जीवाला आपल्या सारखेच आई-बाबा माया लावणार न नेहा. "वांझोटी" होणे शाप नाहीच मुळी. आपण पुण्यवान आहोत. हव तर असे म्हण देवाने अनाथ बाळाला दत्तक घेण्याचा आपल्याला आशीर्वाद दिला आहे!"

"खूप थकले आहे रे मी, पण तुझे म्हणणे अगदी बरोबर आहे. आपण वास्तविक आधीच हा निर्णय घ्यायला पाहिजे होता. तुझे ऐकायला  पाहिजे होते. तुझ्या बोलण्याने मला उभारी आली." व नेहाने अतुलच्या मिठीत अश्रूंना वाट करू दिली.

अतुलही तिला प्रेमाने थोपटत म्हणाला, "आपण सगळे प्रयत्न केले नेहा ते बरे झाले, तुझ्या मनाचेही समाधान झाले की प्रयत्नात काही कसुर नाही ठेवली."

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वेगवेगळ्या संस्थेत गेल्यावर, नेहाचा त्या निष्पाप बाळांना बघून जीव गलबलून जाई. 

"अतुल  किती कठोर असतील ती लोक  ज्यांनी या बालकांना सोडून दिले असेल."

 लहान बाळांपासुन 10 ते 13 वर्षापर्यंत मुलांना पाहुन नेहा गहिवरून जाई. एका अवघ्या 1 महिन्याच्या गोंडस बाळाने नेहाच्या मनात घर केले. सर्व पेपर वर्कही पूर्ण झाले. आता फक्त त्यांचा काॅल येणे बाकी होते.

नेहा  बाळाच्या स्वागताच्या तयारीला लागली. बाळाचे कपडे, झबली, बाळाची खोली, पाळणा, कारमध्ये बाळासाठी खास सीट. मना बरोबर घराचाही कायापालटच केला. उत्साहाला नुसते उधान आले होते. नेहा एक-एक दिवस मोजत होती..

त्यांच्या काॅलची वाट बघणे म्हणजे संयमाची परीक्षा जणु, पण या वेळेस सुखद निकालाची 100 टक्के खात्री होती.

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5 महिन्यांनी.....

आजही नेहा गॅलरीत बसली होती. अतुल आजही वाईनचा ग्लास घेऊन गॅलरीत येताच थबकला. नेहा आजही आकाशाकडे बघत होती. काळ्याभोर आकाशात चमचमणारे, लुकलुकणारे असंख्य तारे होते, हयावेळेसही चंद्र आकाशात नव्हता कारण तो आज तिच्या कुशीत होता..

ईवलेसे  गोंडस तान्हे बाळ, घारे लुकलुकणारया डोळ्यांनी आपल्या आईला बघून गालाला खळी पाडून हसत होते . आपल्या ईटुकल्याश्या हाताने तिच्या बोटाला घट्ट पकडून  मायेच्या कुशीत निश्चिंत होऊन विसावले होते. 

अतुलही ते  द्दश्य अनिमिष नेत्रांनी बघत राहिला.

"अरे अतुल, आज मला समजले देवाने मला "special आई"  होण्याचा आशीर्वाद दिला आहे!"

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खरंच, आज अश्या अनेक स्त्रिया आहेत ज्यांना स्वतःचे मुल होऊ शकत नाही. पण त्याहुनही अधिक अशी बालके आहेत ज्यांना आई हवी आहे व हवी आहे फक्त मायेची ऊबदार कुशी!

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वाचकांनो,

लेख आवडलयास लाईक करावे व आपली प्रतिक्रिया ही जरुर द्यावी. मला फॉलोही करायला विसरू नका!

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सदर लेखाच्या वितरणाचे व प्रकाशनाचे सर्व अधिकार लेखिकाकडे राखीव.

लिंक शेअर करायला हरकत नाही, पण पोस्ट चोरून/ काॅपी करून स्वतःच्या नावाने वेगवेगळ्या ग्रुपस/whatsapp/ किंवा इतर ठिकाणी प्रसिद्ध /पोस्ट केल्यास  काॅपी राईट कायद्याचे उलंघन समजून कायदेशीर कारवाई करण्यात येईल. धन्यवाद!

Changing Lives With Small but......Oh so Feisty step!

Everyone deals with pain differently. When the husband of a young woman, who lived in a slum, died, the pain was so intense, that she wondered whether she would survive it.

But, on second thoughts, she wiped her eyes and her tears dry'd up! It was not impossible for her to outlive the death of her husband, when the hard reality of taking care of her mother-in-law and her son hit her!
She did survived and decided to drive an autorickshaw! Of all the things why an autorickshaw? "How can women drive autos? Isn't it after all men's job?"

Well, her late husband would drive rented autorickshaws and this young lady who had a passion for driving, knew how to drive an auto, as her husband had helped her to master the skill of driving.

When her husband passed away, she managed to get a permit as the Maharashtra Government scheme of the state reserves five percent of rickshaw permits for women, but, she had to put a tough fight to break the barriers and make a place for herself in a male centric field.

We all know female auto-drivers across the country have had to combat chauvinism.

Initially, many people  were unwilling to rent out their autorickshaws to her on the sole ground that she was a woman.

She did not give up and got in touch with various women empowerment groups who helped her to drive rented autorickshaws. Soon, she managed to buy an auto with her small savings.

She was looked down upon by her own family and society for joining this profession, though she was appreciated by many for the courage to break into the male-dominated profession.

Her mother-in-law objected to her decision and suggested that there were so many other things she could do for survival. Not only, the family pressure was bogging her down, but the pressure of society was no less. She was often chased by the bikers. She wondered why people would often point at her, telling one another, of the lady auto-driver in the lane. She failed to understand this  peculiar Indian habit, "If we see a woman behind a four wheeler, or a woman driving an auto, bus, taxi or train and we must give a second look!"

She never took this small step,"Kadam chhota" to break the stereotype. She took up this profession of an auto-driver to make both the ends meet, as that was the best thing she could do. Driving an autorickshaw was a step that enabled her to fill the financial void that was created due to the absence of her husband.


Soon she realised her small step was leading to "Change bada." She noticed that her chhota kadam was encouraging more and more women to join driving a cab, an autorickshaw or just any other public transport such as a train or a bus. Though her adversity brought her to drive an autorickshaw for a regular source of income, she wished that more women should take up this profession.

Despite opposition and challenges, this young woman did not give up and inspired a generation of women auto-drivers. Little did she know that her step though small was a feisty one! 

"This young woman shuts all the stereotypes down, when she drives around the lanes of her town!"

"Kadam Chhota, Change Bada!"

Come on, You all will agree with me that if you see a woman driving an autorickshaw, you stop and give her a second look!

Today, when I sat down to share my "small steps"  story, I reminisced the fond memories of this woman auto-driver, whom I had met a few years back in Thane. I couldn't resist myself then and had asked her, "Why as an auto-driver?" 
I outstandingly remember her words, "Madam, I don't have a college degree, if I would engage in manual labour, it would involve long hours of working and low pay. This profession serves as a higher source of income and also its flexible hours helps me to take care of my family as well. It's my choice, a small step to support my family!" 

I distinctly remember her name as,"Vimla", and remarkably remember her story of "small steps" that was narrated by her then.


Contrary to popular stereotypes that portray women as weak, Yes, women are capable of enormous strength, including the strength to bring about CHANGE for themselves and for others.

Change can be about women driving  autorickshaws for a living!

Gender and social bias should no way dictate what anybody wants to do with their lives.

The following situation is quite common.
When, late at night and you're returning home from work, the streets are almost empty, you hail the only autorickshaw or a taxi , you see on the streets and you see it is  driven by a man. Your heart sinks in fear, when he gives you that sly look, you truly wish that you could have been driven by a woman driver. 

Considering the rising incidents of crimes against women, this is the most welcome change as women feel a lot safer travelling alone, when other women drive them. Though the change is bada as these drivers have all the courage to step into what was considered a man's world before,we cannot overlook the safety of the women drivers who ply vehicles at night! We need to take many more stern steps to change this scenerio of  rising crimes against women! 

Nonetheless, there are many unsung heroes like Vimla, Yes, I repeat many "UNSUNG HEROES" who not only control their lives, despite challenges and provide for their families but also contribute in their own small ways to bring about changes in today's scenerio.

Hat's Off to these women autorickshaw drivers who have all the determination to ply the streets of our cities happily in their autos!

"Kadam Chhota, Change Bada!"

picture credit tribune.com

Every change begins with a small step, whether it’s a change within your family, or the whole country! India’s hero, Padman, had its digital premiere on ZEE5, on 11th May. Don’t miss this inspiring true-life story, only on ZEE5.Download the app and subscribe now.For every subscription, ZEE5 will donate Rs. 5 towards the personal hygiene needs of underprivileged women.

#PadmanOnZEE5
@womensweb

Admission Open!

Tell me child, "What is the name of this fruit?" asked the teacher pointing at the picture of an apple. "Banana" my toddler replied. I wished to be invisible right away! That was an last interaction round between the Principal-teacher and parents- kid. The question was repeated again, but, the answer did not change.

Children are, let's face it, a mystery and what's going on in their little heads is often as baffling as it is hilarious. My toddler who is a bit more naughtier than others was hell bent to name,"banana" for every fruit he was shown.

Just when I was thinking that we had successfully done with all the multiple interaction rounds namely interaction with kid, interaction with parents and this round of interaction with both parents and kid came as a shock!

We had been preparing for these rounds for my son's PRE-KG admission since months. I had left no stones unturned to teach him basic answers, manners and discipline, also he was very good in his kindergarten school. But my son was in no mood to give the correct answer. The Principal too asked us humourosly whether banana is the only fruit we give to our son.

I thanked my lucky stars as he identified the colours, shapes correctly and was about to throw the wrapper of the chocolate given by the teacher anywhere but dustbin, instead he threw in the dustbin kept in the room in the nick of time.  On a bad day, a tad of 3 year old is most likely to throw tantrums, and behave unalike what he is taught or expected.

I was not very sure if the interviewers were pleased by us. Anyways, we had to prepare ourselves for another interview in another shortlisted school in the vicinity, that was scheduled for the next day.

When we had shifted this year in this city, little did I know that I will have to struggle for my kid's PRE-KG admission. Admissions have gotten more and more competitive in the past decade. We all know how a tenth passed student have to struggle to find a college of his choice. I have realized that even school admissions are not different. They can be unnerving for child and for parents as well.

Nowadays, parents are quizzed by the school really thoroughly and you have to be well prepared. If you are not prepared for them, your interview can impact your child's chances negatively.

Being new to the city, my happiness knew no bound, when I saw a reputed school just a few minutes away from my house. This school topped my shortlist of schools. Among the schools with SSC BOARDS, CBSC, ICSC and International, we had to shortlist considering the flow, vicinity, admission process and the fee structure. Yes, the fees! Today, one year of school fees exceeds the total education expenses of one's life.

Besides these multiple interaction rounds giving me nightmares, I was also worried as my child did not fall in categories like sibling, alumni, girl child, management or EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) quota. I could see the chances of getting admission this year to any school I had shortlisted, becoming bleaker!

It is a fact that if your child is your first child, if your child is not a girl, if you are not an alumni, and if you belong to the general category, the admission becomes difficult as the seats are further filtered in terms of annual income of parents, residential address, and stay at home Moms. It is like finding an Oasis in the Desert than getting the school admission. Not to mention, the intensity of the interaction rounds that may surprise you!

I could truly comprehend the toughness behind school admissions today. I could relate to the struggle of all those parents seeking admissions for their children either for PRE-KG or LKG. Parents of toddlers will truly relate to the roller coaster rides of interaction rounds. Actually, one can't blame the schools, as these institutions also have to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations thus framed. The evergrowing population and competition is adding fuel to the problem, So the parents need to abrase themselves thoroughy if the they wish to seek admission for their kid in the desired school.

 Nonetheless, after completing the interviews and the interaction rounds in the schools, it became a usual practice for me to desperately check my inbox daily for a positive reply from schools. One fine day, the wait was finally over, when we received a mail from one school and I took a deep breath! I knew I would be busy for another 10 years with the school projects and exams till he would complete 10th class. I was relieved as no more worries of admissions for another decade.

A piece of advice..school admissions are hard nut to crack so prepare yourself  well in advance if you wish to pull through them.

On that note, I would like to draw your attention to my earlier post,"AVERAGE IS MEAN" wherein I say that, 'Choosing a career of one's choice after tenth demands an impactable academic score in tenth class.' Similarly, Choosing a SCHOOL of your choice for your kid demands an impactable planning even before planning a family !!!

My "Third Baby" at 50+!!!

Yes, having a third baby at 50+  was the best thing I've ever done! For some people, all it takes is one pup to change their minds, and often, those who are not dog persons, are the people who become the biggest doggie devotees!

I am one of them. Yes, dogs weren't on my "radar" for so long. That is until my daughter got one. She is an urdent dog person and loves every dog that walks by. Every pup is a cute doggie to her. Though she was relentless since ages, we did not get a pup then, as, first of all I wasn't a dog person and secondly I lacked the confidence of taking an additional responsibility of a third baby. But, finally I gave in when she was capable of taking care of one.

That's when,"Bebo" a twenty days old female labrador entered our lives. The family fell in love with the little puppy at once and now we can't imagine life without her.

Yes, she is my third baby at 50+! She is my child. She opened her eyes and helped me overcome an irrational fear. Bebo confirmed that big or little, fluffy or sleak, my love and admiration for these creatures is definitely in my soul.

I have evolved from being not a dog person to a dog lover in a lovely way. She is on my lap, on my car seat, on my bed, on my sofa, at my kitchen door waiting for food, she is everywhere, the important and adorable member of our family.

Raising a puppy is just like raising a human child. Though my girls were of great help in raising my third baby, I knew, I had to learn how to do everything and I was the one who had to teach my puppy how to do it. Although, it meant a lot of work, I knew it would all be worth it in the end because we would have a trained, balanced and a adorable companion for plenty of wonderful experiences and adventures.

First and the foremost, we headed to the vet for a thorough examination. He gave us the information on her nutritional needs, specific instructions on proper vaccinations and de-worming. I was glad when the vet said that my pup was a healthy one.

Establishing a daily schedule for her was essential to have a well balanced dog. Puppyhood isn't something that lasts just a few weeks. Dogs don't become adults until sometime between 1 and 2 years of age. First few weeks were trying times for us, as a puppy need to relieve itself nearly ten times in a day. We also sought  the help of a trainer to teach her basic commands. Obedience training and walking on a leash were the most important ones. She also councelled us about the behavioural aspects of my baby.

After her first round of vaccinations, we could take her for walks twice a day. Potty-training was easier, but pee-training was much difficult. I recall how pee-training remained our "Everest" and  how we conquered it.(I have written how we dealt with her pee-training in my earlier post,"A twist to the incentive reward program with my furry pet.")

I had to constantly update myself about her feed. When to feed her? How many times a day? What should she be eating? Which fruits and vegetables could be fatal to her?  How to deal with the ticks and fleas in her fur, if at all she gets them due to socialising with other dogs?

Overexcitement lies at the heart of all kinds of common puppy problems. My overexcited  puppy many a time would snap at my fingers, snarl and tug at clothes until they rip! She would jump and snap at our arms and legs! She would spin about nipping and growling as we put our hand down to restrain her!  A total lovable overexcited brat! Initially, at times, not used to such overexcitement of a puppy, I had random emotional breakdowns, but, the moment my baby would snuggle in my lap, I would stare at her and think, "How could anyone not love you?" And then I would break down for completely different reasons! 

The period between 3and 6 months was just as an  "elementary school age". The best phase, though it was a difficult one, was teething and related chewing. As she had begun to teethe, she naturally needed things to chew on. In addition to mouthing people (during her teething period), she would also mouth things in her environment, that included wooden table, chairs, doors and almost all the furniture. We had to puppy-proof our home, had to provide an assortment of interesting and safe chew toys. We had to teach her to inhibit the bite while chewing. We had to teach her that her mouth on human skin was not okay at all.  I haven't lived with a pup earlier, but, my dog lover daughter was of immense help while raising our pup during the first six months.

During her adolescence between 6 to 18 months, my furry started developing her tantrums. But, then, I knew my baby so well that I could handle them successfully. With the help of our veterinary surgeon, we could deal with her first heat cycle. He also advised us on the right age for spaying and neutering.

Some of us think that a puppy is an adorable tiny dog, stumbling around as it explores the world, but, a dog is a big responsibility and it means being able to commit a significant amount of time, energy and money.

Nevertheless, its her presence that has changed everything for better, I relearn that over and over again. She is the stressbuster for all of us. She does't just fills our heart, she has actually made our heart stronger. 

Dogs have positive effects on one's health. Just the act of petting lowers heart rate and blood pressure. No wonder there are therapy dogs, who are brought to the International airport that help passengers feel relaxed and de-stressed before they fly, especially the children who tend to get anxious or cranky at airports. We also see therapy dogs, who are trained to provide affection, comfort and love to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes and even in schools.

I consider myself as petparent and not petowner. I talk to her. My baby has learnt social skills just like our human kids learn. I remember the first time I heard my furry cry, I was hooked. "Has the world ever known a more beautiful whimper?" 🤔 Sometimes, even an expensive mattress does't please her, I end up just letting her sleep next to me which soon turns into her letting me sleep next to her on my bed.😀

Every petparent will agree that there's nothing like a warm welcome from your pooch when he/she gets home.The way my baby treats when she sees any member of my family when they are back home is simply overwhelmingly impressive. The moment the person is in, she jumps and starts kissing with her tail wagging out of control!

The exceptional connection which she has developed with us is unparallel. She can pick vibes, she is able to understand it when anyone of us is upset. She has a way to please and make us happy. 

We document each milestone, be it her first birthday or her first vacation. Good Lord, how I love my third baby! 100 times a day, I kiss her snout, I sniff and kiss her paws, I rub the boogers off her eyes, I do belly rubbing and I love the tactile sense of her and  she loves us back.

We see more and more families are adopting dogs as pets. So, when you choose to get a dog, you must choose to become a responsible dog owner. Many times dogs are in, as the child in a family loves it. Children and pets can be an adorable combination, but pets are not toys for children. It is a living creature, as I said, a big responsibility. Unfortunately, not all dog owners act responsibly, they abandon their dogs when they become inconvenient or have a chronic illness. This is tragic and not acceptable.  Dog ownership is not something to be taken lightly, bringing both pleasure and responsibility in equal measures.

• "Adopt, don't Shop! these lovely babies who love us unconditionally as much as we love them! 
•  As for me, each member of my family has lovingly shared her responsibility as one team. My house has become my "Home" all the more since I have added one set of four legs, a happy tail and that indescribable measure of love that we call as my third baby.
  

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• At 50+, I am still spoiling, cuddling, primping and using baby talk. It's just directed at my furrier baby! My pooch has helped me to rediscover the "Reserves of energy and patience", I didn't know I had, to raise a third baby at 50+!
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• It reminds me of a quote,
  "The only creatures that are evolved enough to convey pure love are dogs and infants."-Johny Depp (actor of Pirates of the Carribbean)

MOMS OF ALL GIRLS VS MOMS OF ALL BOYS

• I recall attending babyshower of one of my close friend's daughter. Invariably after the lunch, I joined in the conversation with young moms present there, the topic was MOMS  WITH  ALL  GIRLS  VS MOMS  WITH  ALL  BOYS.
  
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• MOMS OF ALL BOYS ARE DIFFERENT!!!  chirped one friend. Being a Mom of all girls, I didn't quite get it.
• Having boys means tearing the house apart, when they are kids, yet another mumma tweeted.
  
• Boy fight around, nearly killing one another and do it all over again. They never stop moving, always playing, running,  eat and fight constantly making the home an indoor sports centre; at times a battlefield said another one. To which one more mom added that everything becomes a weapon, be it a book, a pen, a toy, or a pillow not without the hard punches. 
• She further added that parents of all boys are more harder as raising all boys means not only more patience but more hardwork. 
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• Another pretty mommy reacted stating that having all girls means happy and harmonious life. In fact she explained her statement point by point...
• 1. Girls fight less, they do fight and drives parents crazy, but no bruises, play nicely. 
• 2. Having all daughters is the secret of domestic bliss. 
• 3. Father of all girls are softer and more generous than father of all boys. 
• 4. Baby girls clothes are the most adorable things on the planet. Their  hair ties, clips brushes, any mother would love to dress them like Princess. NOT WITHOUT TANTRUMS!!!   And MOOD SWINGS! 
• 5. Girls with their girly stuff, reading fairy tales, playing with dolls are a great delight for parents
  
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•  After this pointer round, yet another mumma stated that daughters are more attached to their parents than sons.
• One more moaned about raising all boys meant high on energy and low in patience, though it was ruled out by many moms with all girls. 
• During the discussion one more sweet muma narrated an entire twenty minute story about the energy and patience level to raise all her girls. 
  
• Though all the lovely  mommies present there knew that whether they are moms to girls or moms to boys, they all are blessed to have them and the bond between the parents and children is priceless. But, even so, I could see and sense that the conversation had turned into a CAMP DRIVING A WEDGE BETWEEN THE MOMS OF ALL BOYS AND MOMS OF ALL GIRLS. 
•  As for me, I sincerely feel that, in this age of infertility issues, one should consider oneself fortunate to have children.
• Whether they are MOMS OF ALL BOYS, MOMS OF ALL GIRLS OR MOMS OF A GIRL AND A BOY, all strive with almost same amount of patience, doing  many of the same things daily from feeling engulfed to handling mood huffs.
• All kids loves their parents in a special way, The secret of domestic bliss is not related to the gender of one's kids but our nurturing.
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• In an attempt to end the debate, asking for another round of ice cream, I cut the gordian knot by raising a toast to all moms who are blessed to experience the fun of raising their children be them all boys or all girls!!! 
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JUST CHILL! WE ARE HERE TO ROCK

• AN OPEN LETTER  TO ALL THE PREVIOUS GENERATIONS................FROM GEN Y and GEN Z.
• Dear  all,
• We are here to rock!
  
• Yes, we are the IN- GENERATION! You may call us THE INTERNET GENERATION. You may also call us YOUTH OF TODAY. We are the ones who are making waves in almost all fields but, we are also the ones who are constantly judged for all that we do good or bad!
  
• We are the social media wizards who use every platform to achieve our goals. Our life is everything about, with just a click on our gadgets.
  
  No doubt, each generation have its ups and downs and have achieved success by intelligence and hardwork, but, we are growing in the best of times with everything going digital. 
• If you are asked about us, within no time, you would point to everything that's wrong with us. But we are the ones who have taken THE WORLD BY STORM. How have we done it?
• We have done it absolutely and you all know that. You believe that we have got everything in a golden plate, but let us tell you that we are also extremely hardworking and striving hard to see success. We are confident, but, always accused as being overconfident. We are open to experiment different ideas. You all have witnessed that we bring strong opinions to the table. Though we try hard to keep ethics intact, we are blamed  for having no ethics at all. We fight our battles in our own way, we are not fussy when it comes to relocate, and Yes, you all are very sure that we are the leaders of today and tomorrow!
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• We are the NEW ENTERPRENEURS, who have brought success and a change in the working system. Today we mann the positions of CEO with our sheer hardwork and dedication.
•  The remarkable journey of Sunder Pichai, from Chennai to Google is truly inspiring. You also know that Mark Zuckerberg, CEO Facebook is our great role model enterpreneur. There are many many more global icons among us . 
• You believe that we are obstinate. Mistakes! We do make and but we do learn from them. All the same, WE ARE THE MOST UNDERESTIMATED AND HATED ONES!  WHY?
  
•  Yes, we know that we are always accused for playing music loud, for drink and drive, for being wild and for trying  our hands at drugs. You believe that we make friendship that lasts a month, that we lie about everything, that we cry in the bathroom, that we are binge eater, that we have no respect towards elders, and that we go through the lovers and jobs as fast as changing clothes.
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• WHY IS IT SO?
• Who has to take the responsibility? The ones who have raised us? Why are we judged if we share our problems with you? Is the era in which we are born  where we  get easy access to almost everything responsible? Is the changing lifestyle also contributes to this?
• AFTER ALL WE ARE  YOUR NEW HOPE. 
• We cannot deny the allegations against us but then we sometimes, miss the bus of goodness of being young for the want of right mentors and supporters around us and due to circumstances beyond our control.
• The larger number of difficulties faced by us are overlooked.
• DIFFICULTIES? 
• YES LOADS OF THEM, EXHAUSTING US COMPLETELY, EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS AND PEER PRESSURE, TOUGH COMPETITION, THE LONG WORKING HOURS, TIMEBOUND TARGETS , LOVE ISSUES, THE BREAKUPS, NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF ALL THESE ON HEALTH, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL AND  THE RESULTING DEPRESSION OVERPOWERS US!
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• Very few of us are able to cope with it as another aspect of ups and downs of life. 
• We are categorised as self involved and only interested in sharing  our phone, but in reality we are virtuous, soft at heart and hardworking. 
• We are also the most Chilled out ones despite the hurdles.
• Our keyword is" JUST CHILL "
• The Best quote by Dhirubhai Ambani 
• GIVE THE YOUTH A PROPER ENVIRONMENT, MOTIVATE THEM, EXTEND THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED,EACH ONE OF THEM HAS INFINITE SOURCE OF ENERGY, THEY WILL DELIVER!!!! 
• SO TRUE!!! 
• We are grateful for the YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES  that are undertaken at National and international level to help us, to motivate us to achieve our goals.
•  However, We do not believe that  YOUTH REFERS ONLY TO THOSE BETWEEN 15 TO 30??
•  IT IS NOT THE TIME OF LIFE, IT IS A MATTER OF STATE OF MIND, NOT A MATTER OF WRINKLE FREE CHEEKS BUT A MATTER OF WILL TO WORK HARD WITH NO AGE BAR.
• "NO ONE WHO IS YOUNG IS EVER GOING TO BE OLD"SAYS John Steiner.
• We need  models not critics. Dhirubhai Ambani, J.R.D. TATA, Mother Teresa, Baba Amte have set the best examples of eternally young and have worked till their last breath. RATAN  TATA  and Sindhutai Sakpal are the living legends. The energy and dedication with which they are working truly inspire us. Role models for us are plenty. We are dynamic and already have fire in us. We are flying high. We believe in ,'WORK HARD, PARTY HARDER!'
  
• The Old mantra of" SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE" IS REPLACED. New mantra of IN-GENERATION IS "FAST AND COMPETENT WINS THE RACE"
•  So on that note We would say....All our previous GEN,
• DO NOT JUDGE US, BUT, CONNECT WITH US , BE WITH US  AS WE ARE PART OF YOU, 
• FACES OF YOUR PAST, YOUR PRESENT AND YOUR FUTURE." With Love from.....GEN Y and GEN Z.
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THE ENTERPRENUERS OF OUR NUKKADS!!

You will have definitely heard about these women! I have also seen them at almost every corner of the lanes of Mumbai and Navi Mumbai in the evenings. Yes, I have seen these women selling vadapav with the helpers in tow. Basically coming from lower middleclass families, these women are out for this business to make both ends meet.

Adversity may sometimes become a chance call on diversity. We all know, when the earnings of our families are not enough, women of the house take an extra effort to increase the earnings in still many more ways by doing multiple errands. These lower middleclass families are no exception, who mostly have hand -to -mouth existence. The situation becomes more grim when the earning member or the head of such families loses his job or any such untoward incident only adds fuel to the problems. These adversities may well bring these women of the house to work for an additional or regular source of income.

The business of selling vadapav has turned into a blessing for them, considering the fact that not only these vadas satiate the taste buds and hunger, but also are affordable to all, be a student or a officegoer. We often spot these women who take charge of this business of selling vadapav at the nukkads of our lanes in the evenings.

We Mumbaikars, love everything about Mumbai. From street food, to small eateries, to Udipi restaurants, to Irani cafes, to the plush five course restaurants, Mumbai has everything. You ask any diehard fan of Mumbai about his favourite street food famously known as 'CHAT', 'VADA PAV' will top the list. I haven't met anyone who has stayed in Mumbai and haven't tasted it. These women have smartly explored our taste and they serve us with those affectionately prepared yummy vadas with mouthwatering green and red chatnis.

This is not to give the impression that these ladies do not consider other options of work during the day. I have a met few who at times work as maids and as I have mentioned earlier in this post some of them do the various stuff like stitching falls to the sarees during the day. But, all the same, evenings are meant for this business.

Kudos to these small enterpreneurs! who sell these vadas at the prime location, like railway stations, near office hub, near colleges, and our nukkads. It is not uncommon to see a Mumbaikar, after a hard day, taking a halt to grab a bite of this vadapav before heading towards his long tiring return journey to his home.

This might be a very limited snapshot, but, when I see these ladies, I see strength of character, smartness and a seamless bond between the literate women enterpreneurs and these women selling the delicious vadapav at every nook and corner of our gullies.