Atithi

Guests are always welcome as per our culture.In these times -in metros,where we reside in matchbox type flats,guests lead to a lot of inconvenience but we Bhartiya endure all Mehmaan with smiles galore.Some guests are so accommodating that you end up feeling like a guest in your own house !

When I & my family visit my inlaws ,we eat brunch & drink glasses full of coffee till we have to politely refuse.In this case,though, we are guests,we adjust our breakfast & lunch & dinner to match the timings at the home there.But my inlaws make us adjust, when they come visiting us,  as they are our guests! So here also,we have early lunch almost bordering on breakfast time.Moreover,any new dish prepared is frowned upon-so tastes also have to suit the  guests. I make desperate attempts to like dishes prepared there  when we are visiting ! But, it is a one way traffic-I have to make things to suit them while they are here & the things they make, suit me as I am family,not guest to be pandered to -so obvious,isn't it ? That's why ,I am tense whenever I visit my in laws.My hunger pangs make me angry but, I have to keep smug, for the need to pretend normalcy in such awkward situations !

Then we had a guest the other day- he was a far flung relative.He came visiting & at midnight,he remembered, that he needed to recharge his mobile .My dad went with him of course, but, after trying to make him understand that he could always recharge in the morning.But anyway,it didn't work & our guest had his way.Then, when he was almost ready to depart,he said that he feared that eating at stations enroute may cause him indigestion ! So my bhabhi immediately set to work & prepared rotis & sabzi for the journey.My brother was of the opinion that if he disliked the stuff,he would throw them all & all the man hours nah, woman hours would have been wasted .To this, my dad replied, that nothing would be wasted as he would eat them up.I know that my dad hates wastage but, then ,I did not know that, he would accompany the guest on the journey to keep a check !

I have a cousin who came visiting us recently.She would eat nashta alone later,after all had eaten.When my saas chided her for not eating with others, she said that she is habituated to eating alone .Then we took her to a shop to buy her a dress as a parting gift.She chose the most expensive dress available, making us wonder as to why we  ever  got her to the shop ! Not only that,as she boarded the bus,she said that she had only a 500 rupee note & the conductor will demand change.My hubby took out two to three hundred rupee notes & handed them over to her .His idea was- that was small change compared to the expenses we would have incurred had she stayed longer !

Sometimes the atithi stays so long that he becomes as good as a member of the  household of the host.In such a case,we may be forced to ask,"Atithi,tum kub jaoge ?"

Rangoliyan

I managed to post this blog today -last week,I had got delayed.Today,there was no delay.There are many errors & I have tried to cover them up.

Kundali matching !

When my marriage was fixed,my kundali was matched with that of my husband & when all was found in order ,did we proceed further.But come to think of it now,I feel I & my husband never agree on anything .We are constantly arguing about every topic under the sun.That's why,I wonder as to  how come our horoscopes matched ?  Only the stars know.

I avidly read the weekly horoscope columns in the dailies.Though,they seldom come true-there is no harm in feeling optimistic by reading them once a week.Moreover,I read such columns in many newspapers -with the result, that, I rarely remember them.I also read not just about my star sign but also my husband;s & daughters-so you see,there is utter confusion & chaos .I can hardly recall what was written about which star sign ! But it also has a positive side effect-I take all good & bad luck into my stride .This star gazing  reading is an addictive habit which I am unable to give up.I like a newspaper only when it devotes at least half a page to the horoscope once a week.That is the first thing,I read in the Sunday paper.I feel incomplete without reading the weekly star power.Nowadays,there is tarot power also -old wine in new bottles but the more ,the merrier is my motto.I enjoy reading them all .

But I have a suggestion.In,our Bharat,a marriage is always between two families.The groom & the bride do matter but only a little.The vadhu has to be acceptable to the saas,sasur,the bhabhi,the jeth,the devar,the nanad & so on.Similiarly,the var has to be approved by the vadhu's amma,appa,bhaiya,bhabhi,dadi,naani,bacche & so forth.So,wouldn't it be a wise idea to match the girl's horoscope with that of her would be saas & other inlaws ? Also,the horoscope of the pa in law should be matched with that of the would be son-'in-law . Well,I stumbled upon this brainwave, as my relatives  have discovered lots of faults in my hubby.My better half also feels my relatives  have  lots of deficiencies.So,I felt, that their horoscopes should have been matched but now,it is too  late.I wish, others learn from my errors .But then what will happen to saas bahu sitcoms if the horoscopes of bahu & saas matched ? We will be watching better soaps -that's for sure !

Raangolya

Again ,there has been a delay-this time it is more -these were drawn on Friday.The rangoli drawn above is not symmetrical but as I had no patience to redo it,I let it be.

Shhh... Male at work !

This is in continuation of males & females-how men work & how women work.

I know it is debatable if men ever work but still let us suppose that they are at work-in office,at home etal but then their attitude is of  no disturbance.They opine that any disturbance while they are at work,irritates them.When my hubby is performing puja,he will not pick up the phone,will refuse to open the door & keep mum when spoken to.This is because, he is in deep thought about God.But while,I am praying ,I get up to open the door& then continue my prayers.Then,the phone rings & I pick up the phone.It is generally not for me but still I politely reply & then disconnect.Again, I am  interrupted  yet again by the doodhwala,the dhobi,the kachrawala,the maid & so on & so forth.By the end of the day,I have just managed to recite the prayers amongst  all these chores .I also somehow am able to cook a decent  nashta,lunch,& also attend to my kid if she is home -all this simultaneously with my praying.When I compared my praying to my Hubby's ,he replied,"My prayers will benefit you as well." Does this mean that my prayers will not work or maybe he is trying to tell me that the way I pray, amidst chaos -it does not count at all !But then ,I cannot ignore all the doorbells,the kid etal even when I pray.Men ignore all & are indifferent as they know that their wives are there to attend to mundane tasks like the trash,the kid etc.But likewise,women cannot trust men even with simple chores-the less said about the difficult ones,the better...

Just today,I had called up the beautician to come & attend me for henna,facial,etc.But I was tense also -as my kid was home & so was my dad.My dad needs nashta on time.I prepared nasta,warmed the milk,kept the trash outside,made toast for my kid etc etc.If my dad needs a haircut,he will just declare that he is going for a haircut .That's it.But if I have to go for a haircut -I have to make sure that lunch is ready,maid has finished her chores & so on.Many times,women just keep postponing their  medical check ups,even bank work as they feel too overwhelmed by the tasks they have to perform .But you tell men this & they will only flare up.They will rarely do any  such task which is quite silly by their standards .But men always keep reminding the women how important & ,intelligent their work is.Really ! Ours is so essential that it has to be  done then & there but try telling men that !

In the finality,it is that we adjust when we have some exclusive work with ourselves  & it is again ,we, who make adjustments when all others at home have specific tasks to attend to.So,the moral of the tale is -women are excellent at adjustments -as at all other things !

The debate continues ...

Rangolis

I got delayed by one day in posting this.I had already written a post yesterday.So this I have posted today though both were drawn yesterday ,a Tuesday.

Going green ...

Now that a deal has been somehow managed at Copenhagen,how about all of us,doing our bit for greening this planet ?

Well,I have been at it since ages-only, it has become the in thing now.I always used to switch off lights when not in use or when they were  not needed.Yes,you guessed correctly- I do wear glasses but then the two are not related.

My dad joins me in this- in fact,he is the one, who took the lead in this.He never switches on the fan unless it is .unbearably hot.He feels hot only when he switches on the fan &  he starts sweating as the  running fan reminds him of the spiralling  electricity bill ! I also ape my dad in this respect, but, not completely.Moreover,I feel a stationary fan gathers less dust & so I have to do less of cleaning up ! So,you see, that this is pro -green as also good for relaxation -when you work less,you relax more !

I try to carry a bag whenever I go shopping- cloth bag .It is advisable, so that I can tell the shopkeeper to put the items in my bag rather than he handing the items to me in a plastic bag which is manufactured of a micron value less than allowed under the law for the same.Hence, such bags are all anti green .

I have also started using water wisely-I use the water to wash rice & the same water I reuse to wash dal & again reuse to wash the veggies daily.I am doing this for purely selfish reasons ! The Municipal   bulletins  on the water scarcity in my city  have scared me to the hilt to take drastic corrective measures to conserve water !

I also walk to nearby places like when I go shopping for groceries ,medicines ,toiletries as they are all available locally.I walk as this saves money,is  healthy & does not leave a carbon footprint ! What more could I ask for ? For the same reason ,I do not own a vehicle.I prefer public transport over autos & taxis.

I separate wet trash & dry trash so as to ease  garbage disposal.I use both sides of paper & read many things on the net . I recycle old clothes by passing it on to my maids,milkman,etal.I also use less of soap & detergents so that less water is needed.Moreover,the chemicals in the detergents & soaps cause more harm than good.Obviously, they add to the pollutants in the atmosphere making it unhealthy.

I have lessened my visits to hotels & restaurants as the food there makes me sick with  indigestion.Moreover,the method & ingredients used are all suspect.Compared to that, home cooking is clean,fresh , delicious & obviously healthy ! Moreover,I have discovered that I am a good cook so much so, that I have uploaded  my recipes on to  my blog !

I chide my kid also to use paper economically .I tell her that it is wise to be economical in habits as many more can use our scarce resources  & that too for a longer period .
I have learnt that being economical with habits is being green -which is the need of the day now.Thankfully,I have always  economized which appeared like miserliness to others but then ....in this age of spiraling prices,it pays to be thrifty .Thriftiness translates into going green - what a wonderful double whammy !

Rangoliyaan

I have used Hindi word as title.I have no comments to make except that God has inspired me yet again .That is why ,I have been able to draw  unique designs today.

Men & Women.

This is a topic on which all of us can go on & on...We all agree that men are different from women in many respects -physically as also mentally.

Women will always think about the family first unlike, men, who will think about all, except family.They feel it is the woman's job to even think about the family !It is not that men are terribly busy at work in office .It is just the way they think -an innate ,inborn, inherent  tendency to think only about themselves.Men gossip at work & outside & I feel they are more at it than the women, but women are always blamed for being rumor mongers.How unfair !

I have a brother who is so much in love with the computers that if my computer breaks down ,he will come rushing in to have a look at it.But if anything were to happen to me,he is least bothered.My hubby is a step ahead.He is in love with nobody.He will always excuse himself in any emergency as he cannot get leave or that leave won't be sanctioned.

My friend 's  hubby  opines  that hard work never killed anyone ( he actually means women-his wife) but then he does not want to try it himself !I have a cousin brother who will always side with the maids whenever his wife complains about them.He believes this is his way of being pro-labour.But he has no sympathy for the hard labour his wife puts in to keep the house spic & span.My brother in law works for a finance company & he is forever working there on festivals,holidays et al.His wife says that he is wedded to the company & not to her.Obviously all at the home front is her botheration.

Recently,I accompanied my kid  as she had to be dropped at a school for a mathematics competitive examination.It was a Sunday & the test was scheduled to start at 12 in the noon.Many moms had come to leave the wards but fathers were few & far between.So,on Sundays also, dads are busy - in fact, they are more busy on holidays -reading newspapers ,drinking endless cups of tea,coffee,relaxing amongst other things ! Mothers are always relaxed -so they never need a break !

Many men will not do any household chores as they feel it is not their job but slowly attitudes are changing.As women go on jobs out of their homes,men have to share housework.But still,in India,men are not brought up that way .As Gloria Steinem opines,"We've begun to raise daughters more like sons... but few have the courage to raise our sons more like our daughters. "


Women are the care takers in the family -men aren't bothered -they state that women are the best nurses.This is very convenient thinking so that men don't get involved in the caring .They all are cared by the woman only- no matter, how busy she is .Caring is her duty.In our nation,men decide about when he can have sex with his wife,which college the kids will go,when will the children be married ,etc.But the woman has to nurture the kids ,do seva of the senior citizens at home & so on & so forth.Her opinion is never sought about higher education for her children nor about the marriage.She is like an unpaid servant whose presence is acknowledged only when things go wrong .Gloria Steinem said ,"Most American children suffer too much mother and too little father. "This is true for all nations & across all communities -the world over.



Though,we all are slowly & steadily changing -men coming to terms that a woman can also get tired even if she is only a home maker ( a homemaker works as hard as women on jobs- maybe, harder).Women are also scaling new heights & leaving sacrificing themselves at the altar for family,etal -they know being a devi is not worth the effort.It does not promise divinity.


All said & done,females still think about others before themselves. To quote Gloria Steinem again,"I've yet to be on a campus where most women weren't worrying about some aspect of combining marriage, children, and a career. I've yet to find one where many men were worrying about the same thing."Such a long journey has been traversed but ,still,we have along way to go...

Raangolya

I have used the term "Raangolya "-it is the Marathi word for rangolis.

Pl suggest words used to decscribe rangolis in other languages-I will use them as titles.

Books

Books are very dear to me & I am sure, to many of you.Maybe, more dearer than books are to me.I have a reasonable collection of books.There are a lot more books which I would like to possess but I wonder if I will be able to read them.Moreover space is a big problem -where do I keep the books ?

I have books like Yes Minister,Yes,Prime Minister ,Sudha Murthy's collection of stories,Politically Correct bedtime stories ,one book on Vedic Mathematics,Development as Freedom by Amratya Sen,Laurie Baker by Gautam Bhatia,On Balance by Leila Seth,books by P.G.Wodehouse ,etc.I have read some of the books & some are still to be read.

I have read many comics whilst in school-Phantom,Mandrake,Amar Chitra Kathas & the likes.Later,  I  was in awe of film stars & would lap up all gossip in film magazines but as I grew up,I lost interest in them.In my higher secondary,I would borrow Nancy Drew ,Hardy boys,etc   from the well equipped school library & ; read them in one stretch.Later,I discovered , Agatha Christie,Sherlock Holmes,etal which survives to this day.But I have also developed an interest for humour as well.That is why, I consider, the Yes Minister & Yes Prime Minister as classic books-the satire & sarcasm is really applaudable.In fact,I have enjoyed the reading of the books more than watching the televised series.At one roadside stall,I even glanced, at the Indian version titled,"Ji Mantriji" .I wish I had brought it then.I will try to buy that one as soon as I can.I still remember, the Desi  televised version "Ji Mantriji " starring Farooq Shaikh as the  helpless Mantriji .It was very well made .

I have tried to inculcate in my daughter, a love for reading books but have drawn a blank, so far.I got many books for her but, she insists, that I read & tell her stories, even now, that ,she is more than nine years old.So,I have stopped buying books for her- at least, for the time being.I have given away books as return gifts on a few  of her birthdays as I feel, that reading is a worthy habit .But my daughter pleads with me all the time,"Mama,no books please."She tells anyone & everyone  who asks her about her choice of a gift that except books,she will like everything ! I wonder, when she will start her love affair with books ? !

But a local library has manged to attract her.As ,the charges are quite unreasonable,I have forbidden my daughter from joining it.I have told her that she can join the library after she finishes reading all the books got for her at home.She has not asked about joining the library again.So,I failed ,yet again, in getting her to read.

My blogging & household  chores leave me little spare time in which I can read books now.I know,I am the loser, as I have to read more to enrich myself.Books have helped me so far, in making my life interesting by informing me about a variety of subjects.Even, my  blogging, is a result of my ideas formed by reading books.So,if ,I want to attract more readers to my blog,I better start reading books with renewed vigor .

2day's rangolis.

I was inspired by the rangoli drawn by a friend outside her door .She stays in the same building wherein I reside.

Redevlopment

The Mumbai High Court has ruled that even one member can stall redevlopment by refusing  the same.This gives a lot of power to members individually.Actually,it is a triumph for the  individual.It is against the builders lobby ( sorry renamed as redevelopers ).

Many re developers have become builders now, after redeveloping old buildings wherever possible or rather made possible by their own intrigue.Re developers are experts at developing themselves not the buildings ! If you need any proof,please have a look at the SRA  ( SLUM REHABILITATION AUTHORITY )scheme wherein  all involved, are millionaires now ! But have the slums decreased ? No, so you have it there. Slums have increased & at a faster pace after the SRA came into existence.So much for have nots- more of them now. Actually,after some time,even we, may be, staying in slums thanks to the builder-redevloper-politician nexus .Moreover,we do stay in buildings but the other conditions-the facilities ( if any ) are worse than available in slums .

One answer for the builders against this judgement would be to approach the Supreme Court in appeal but then they know that they may lose there as well hence,this request  ( read order )to the powers that be to pass ordinance.We always suspected that criminals ,antisocial elements,builders,redevelopers etal were unofficial consultants to the Government & this just confirms our suspicions.This also makes them official consultants ,isn't it Mr Sunil Mantri ?Ordinances are superb tools with the Sarkaar as the Ordinance is passed by the Governor when the legislature is not in session.Not that our legislatures, whenever they are on, have given us any reasons to be proud of them.How can we trust these netas-opposition as also the rulers as many of them remain absent even when their questions are up for answers in the Assembly or the Parliament ?

But obviously,they are so busy redeveloping the city,the slums,the market,the trade,so & soon & so  forth-that they cannot  attend mundane matters like the question hour -so what, even if, they had asked the questions ?All are land sharks & will go to any extent to redevelop themselves.

Why can;t we have buildings wherein we pay a reasonable rent to the Government, like say, in Singapore ? This is because our netas want private lobby to develop our metros,cities,slums etc.or whatever is left of them after they have had their shares.Our cities are hells & our villages have fared even worse.So,there is constant migration from the villages to the cities .For all this -our leaders are to be blamed.We should start a public campaign against all this redevelopment which is just an eyewash to bleed us all !

The High Court has taken the first step -let us take it further & prevent further degradation of our surroundings & ourselves.This will also be our contribution for greening Bharat & thereby the Brahmand !

Aaj ki rangoliyan

I tried a different idea of two birds facing away from each other as the base.Then ,I drew as my hands led me on wards.

Quandrary

My friend referred a young girl to me .The girl is a beautician but she does it at the home of the client .There are many beauticians like her in a place like Mumbai.This works for her as the rents are quite exorbitant & so she comes to the customer's place & offers her services.It is cheaper & also the person feels comfortable as it is her own home.

I have lots of grey hair & so for the first time,I asked Ragini( I have changed her name) to only apply mehendi to my hair.She did that in a jiffy & that too for a very reasonable sum ( cheap that is reasonable for me-typical middle class kanjusi or miserliness).The next month,I again longed for mehndi on my hair as people started referring to me as granny instead of aunty.This was the sign, that I needed, another coat.I called her up umpteen times but she did not pick up her cell.My friend had cautioned me that she will pick up the phone when she is free.Later in the evening,I called her up again & she responded.She was too busy that week,she told me .So,we fixed  up an appointment in the next week at eight in the morning.She was willing  to come at eight.She told me that she attends at even earlier timings.This time ,I told her, that, I wanted to do facial  as well .So it was all set.

She came at the appointed time & first started applying mehndi.We got talking as she applied the mehndi .She lives with her mother & brother in the city .She has been earning since the last five years as a beautician.Her brother is married with two daughters.Her bhabhi has left the matrimonial home & is staying with her parents as she is insisting that her hubby should separate from his mother.Since this is not being agreed upon,she has left.Ragini said that her bhabhi wants a servant in the house  which is unaffordabele.Ragini's brother had lost his job a year back but now thankfully has been reemployed.Even when, Ragini, was the sole earning member ,Ragini was doing a large part of the household chores before she left for her duties.Still,she stated ,her bhabhi was dissatisfied.Ragini's mom also does a part of the housework.Now,there is a stalemate with the bhabhi stuck up at her parents place & hubby disagreeing for a break up from  the mother.Ragini told that her bhabhi's parents support her only & want that they should stay as a nuclear family.

The mehndi was over & Ragini proceeded to do my facial.She did it with sincerity & left me impressed.She is quite young -maybe just twenty two or a year more.After she finished,I enquired if she would like a cup of tea.She agreed provided I was also drinking.I needed it & that's the reason ,I had asked her.I made tea & we sat sipping tea.I just mentioned to her that she should go & buy dress materials at a sale which was going on then in the city.She replied that she was so busy that she never had time.But I insisted & said that the sale was really good for dress materials & sarees.She promised that she would try.Then she told me that she recently got an expensive dress near her home ,After one wash,the color faded & all the embroidery started coming out.She went to the shopkeeper to exchange it or get her money back as the dress had cost her more than fifteen hundred.But the shopkeeper simply refused.It was then, that she approached the local unit of a political party .The workers of the unit coerced the  shopkeeper into exchanging  the dress.As ,I heard this,I was shocked ! I tried to make sense of this - political pressure  for exchanging a dress ? ! But I tried to keep my composure.She said that she got another dress & has henceforth, decided not to buy any costly dress after this experience.

 I can understand, that, for Ragini that dress was too expensive & then it getting spoilt after one wash was just too much for her to digest.She is struggling to have a decent life- working so hard & this frustrated her .When the shopkeeper refused her,she resorted to this idea of asking the local thug to bail her out.She did succeed .But can she do the same thing with her bhabhi to bring her back home ? Very doubtful & most unlikely as that would be too personal ,isn't it ?

Ragini is coming again to attend  on me this month.Hopefully,her bhabhi would have  come back.I am sure,even Ragini realises that asking goons to interfere is  not advisable as it could  backfire anytime.Or maybe it already has but her lips are sealed .

Price rise.

The government finally admitted what we all had been suspecting.That prices have risen alarmingly in an year ! Obviously against mounting evidence ,the government had to agree that inflation is on an all time high.

But that doesn't seem to spur the governmebt into any action.The other day our honorable Finance minister got wild when Brinda Karat interrupted him about the issue.He argued that the shortfall of tur dal cannot be made up & hence he is helpless.Now if our ministers say so,then why are they in the government ? Moreover,suppose that we take his opinion as the fact about tur dal,what has he to say about rising prices of other food items like rice,vegetables,fruits,etal ?There are no answers.Actually,there are but then our netas choose not to answer them.

Really,if even a problem like rising prices cannot be brought under control,the less said about other problems,the better.This government has betrayed the voters who gave them such a thumping majority by inaction & indifference.There is not even a  pretentiuon of trying to sort out any problems including rising
prices.

As a member of middle class,I will just curse & move on .But the poor are the worst hit.Moreover,those who are just better off than the poor have already slid down to below poverty levels by now. Many lower middle class people also will come to be counted amongst the poor now.The government was voted to power by these very poor people.Really,how are the voters feeling now ?I think tired by the explanatiuons given of trying to control price rise.Because,there is no evidence -not even an iota of it to prove that somebody is on the job.

Retailers are having a whale of time stocking up on food & selling them at a premium.As my vegetable vendor told me,"Abhi election main jo paisa kharcah hua,vo kahan se nikalenge ? Aise he nekalenge hamarey neta-daam badhakar."

Today's rangolis.

I tried a new geometrical figure -the pentagon & it seems to have worked.

Woes of women

Today ,I read three informative articles concerning issues afflicting females.All three are equally important.So,I thought,I need to put in my views here.

The first one is about how lack of bathrooms is affecting female drop out rate.Since toilets do not exist or even when they do are in a woeful condition,girls drop out.I agree with this as my own kid ( a girl) is desperate to go to the toilet once she returns home.She rarely visits the school washroom as she opines that it is untidy.She is going to a reputed public school.The article was stating the about the drop rate in Muncipal schools.Not only schools,even at other places,women find it impossible to find toilets -at ST stands,railways stations,playgrounds,etal.Sulabh shauchalays are also dirty .I witnessed this on my recent trip to Goa,which is a tourist destination attracting Westerners.Really,the scene is grim.How can we empower women at any level ? Urban women also feel helpless in cases such as these .We are unable to fund even basic facilities like toilets for women.In rural India,where toilets are even less or non existent ,many females are forced to go out in the open.All this leads to men ogling on them leading  to molestation,rape,assaults & what not.I wish ,we all could just start a campaign to fund toilets at public places so that women can heave a sigh of relief.

Another issue is the climate change.Climate change is forcing  more women into poverty & at a faster pace.Some economists speak about "feminisation of poverty" meaning that poverty among women is going up at a faster pace than among men.Women are getting malnourished more now as there is less food.So a woman sacrifices her food for her family.They are also more anemic than before.Though they till the land,they are not yet recognised as farmers.This is a double jeopardy.As vast tracts of land are deforested,they trek longer to collect water & firewood.So there is no reprieve.This is specially so for the lowest rung -the adivasis &  the dalits.The solutions suggested are to give recognition to women as farmers so that they can get loans & other benefits under the numerous schemes.Another step would be to fight climate change at our level as well.We could do with lesser chemicals( detergents,soaps,etal) ,use less power & energy ( perhaps emulate California & ban LCDs which are energy guzzlers),use solar energy ,etal.Let us take a pledge today to go green.It will not only help women but all of us-about this, I am certain.

The third issue was about dating in India.Girls are lured by their boyfriends & end up getting molested,raped,assaulted etal.Those who are unable to move on in the aftermath commit suicide.Now,girls ought to be cautious.In our homes,we need to talk things out with our moms,grandmoms,aunts,sisters,if not dads,uncles,brothers,etal.Isn';t it better that the girl talks about meeting her boyfriend without embarrassment with her family.If the family feels this is too ridiculous an idea,it better be ready for any lethal result.Because all said & done,the girl can be prevented at some times but not all the times.Moreover,sometimes preventive measures like marriage ,captivity,etc may backfire leading to more problems.I personally feel that girls need not try to seduce boys.The increasingly falling sex ratio will ensure  that males will try to seduce girls .Not that I support the lopsided sex ratio .Moreover,once any girl gets married,she will realise, that no man is worth any seduction anyway.

Mangalivaar ki rangoliyan

Looks like my mind has reached  saturation point.I am finding it difficult to get ideas for rangolis.