A touch of elegance to the eye

 

By Riddhima Sen

The human eye has always been witness to everything going on in the world surrounding us. Eyes look at known faces, unknown faces, feelings concealed somewhere deep within the heart, in an unknown place. Be it torrential showers of rain, or scorching heat burning everything around us, the eyes are the center of everything. Even when we look at someone, the first thing which attracts our attention is the eyes of an individual. And, after all, what harm is there in adorning the window of the face, that absorbs everything in, magically? 

Eyeliners are used for defining the eyes, adding in to create an overall bold and defined look. Eye liners were first used in ancient India, Egypt Mesopotamia. It was implemented as a dark black line hemming in the eye from all sides. Approximately as early as 10,000 BC, Egyptians and Mesopotamians wore the traditional, classic Og black eyeliner not only for aesthetics but for the protection of the skin from the desert sun. It was also believed to protect the eye from the evil eye. This depiction is quite common in Egyptian art, including the paintings on pyramid walls and those that have been recovered as well .

Handmade products in rise - An exclusive writeup by Riddhima Sen

 Handmade products are something natural in nature. Made using hands, handcrafts are really unique and filled with love – maybe not as expensive as a factory-produced object, made using the entirety of the heart – affection from the whole heart, spun or woven using hands, using sequins and decorative items as well. The recent trade is witnessing an upsurge in handmade products. Speaking about handmade products, they come in various varieties. Handprinted textiles and scarves, are currently in trend. 

The scarves are traditionally woven, featuring local designs and patterns. They suit well alongside each and every kind of outfit, be it western or traditional wear. Imitation jewellery is also handmade. The pieces look exclusively crafted, to great precision despite the materials used being way more affordable and cheaper, and the purpose behind the existence of imitation jewellery is to create jewellery pieces which look like real gold or diamond or any kind of jewellery, at a much affordable rate, especially for the commoner people. While expensive scarves are sold both online as well as offline, with the price range almost reaching the sky, products which are created naturally get more recognition. In addition to this, the handmade crafts industry also supports a lot of unemployed women .

Mental Health and the Lens Behind it - Riddhima Sen

 

The term mental health is often overlooked in the Asian society. Referring to the health or state of the mind, mental health is a crucial thing in recent timelines. The drastic shift in economic systems and lifestyles, adapting to a new way of living life, devoid of nature or things natural has significantly affected individuals. The affinity towards things digital, be it cell phones or electronic literature, has both its pros and cons. As for the pros, accessibility increases since in case the books are not easily physically accessible, it can be used. 

However, this affinity leads an individual towards digital addiction. The sheer inability to express one’s emotions is increasing because of the gradually increasing lack of communication. People spend more time on devices rather than others, be it family or friends. Silent rooms, filled with only the sound of clicking phones, are highly visible nowadays. The need of understanding mental health is extremely crucial, in order to protect and shield the present and the future generation. It is absolutely not that mental health didn’t even exist in the older generations, but they were highly overlooked and underrated. The awareness regarding mental health is increasing and therapy has been normalized , and still there is a long way to go .

Talking about Comfortable Clothing

With Riddhima Sen 

Comfortable clothing is something which is everyone’s right. Clothing is in fact a basic necessity, a very basic human necessity. Uncomfortable clothing is something which should be avoided. If a person dresses up uncomfortably, it gets difficult for them to work through things throughout the day, at office or while travelling in public buses. 

Comfortable clothing includes cotton clothes during summer. Soft cotton tees are the perfect fit for a hot summer. Fabric which is rough is extremely difficult to manage while going out on summer afternoons and mornings. Polyester is a popular fabric used in workout clothing. Polyester is lightweight and breathable. Being water-repellent in nature, the person donning polyester garments indeed doesn’t need to break a sweat! Nylon is also used in activewear. 

Available either as it is or in blended form, the breathability is something which varies greatly depending upon the extent. On the downside, nylon tends to retain odors . Rayon is a variation of synthetic fiber. The scale to which a person sweats is greatly reduced by wearing Rayon clothes. Casual summer clothes are mainly made up of linen. Silk is another good option , but once again , it retains odor and requires hand-washing .

The Art of Chikankari - By Author Riddhima Sen

 

Chikankari Kurtis and sarees are quite in in trend, recently. Be it for casual wear, or college wear or something which is for a proper event, chikankari Kurtis are the way to go. Chikankari is a very delicate and intricate type of shadow work type of embroidery. Initially, the embroidery was done using white yarn, on colourless muslins known as tanzeb. However, in recent times, chiffon, georgette, cotton and other fine quality fabrics are also being used. Chikankari work is also featured on cushion covers, pillow covers, table linen, and so on and so forth. 

Chikan refers to a piece of fabric, while kari refers to embroidery. Originating in Lucknow, this embroidery dates back roughly to the 3rd century bc. There are references of embroidery similar to chikan in the records left behind by the historian Megasthenes.  Sequin, bead and mirrorwork are oftentimes embellished on fabrics as a part of chikankari. A pattern is generally block-printed on the ground fabric. That is the most crucial step while looking into the process of making Chikankari Kurtis. The white threadwork against the vibrant colours of the fabrics creates a bright and beautiful contrast. Starting straightaway from floral patterns to various other kinds of patterns, the craft of Chikankari is unique and needs to be preserved for the future. 

ज्ञान

ज्ञान - अभिमान - निपुणता, तक ना सही -

अज्ञानता - ये विनम्रता तक नहीं ;

कुछ ज्ञानी हो - न ये जान - ज्ञान का ।।

के बाटने से और बढ़े !

कुछ अज्ञानी ज्ञान की खोज में ;

शिक्षा - शिक्षण, तक नहीं ;

तकनीकी ज्ञान बढ़ाए जीवन का सौंदर्य,

दार्शनिक ज्ञान बढ़ाए बोध !!

शिक्षक के अनुबोधन से ही -

जीवन का अनुदेश हो ;

माँ के पालन में, जीवन का बोध हो !!

ज्ञान ये केवल शिक्षा तक नही -

ध्यान ये केवल दीक्षा तक नहीं ।।

पावन ये मन हो, 

संदेश जो जीवन हो -

स्वयं के अनुचार से ;

विभिन्न ज्ञान के विचार से ;

सृष्टि ये आदि हो -

ना हो अंत - अतः सही !!

सभी शिक्षकों को नमन - ये जीवन 

माँ - ना छूटे कहीं - सौभाग्य से 

ज्ञान हो - शिकशन हो - विभिन्नता में ही

निराकार से आकर अनेकता से ही -

अंत में सब पाया - जब हो ज्ञान अपार ;

सब खोने का भय नहीं -

जब सिक्षा हो साथ ।।

-प्रोमिला देवी सुदर्शन हुईद्रोम

Feminine energy - Ambition's Exclusive By Riddhima Sen

 

Feminine energy is Supreme of all. It is the energy which rules over the world. There is a coordination between masculine and feminine energy. If this coordination gets disrupted, things may go astray. Feminine energy is very often linked with the power of creation and sustenance of the materialistic world.  As per the mythical story of Goddess Annapurna, without women cooking food and taking care of the household, homes wouldn’t be able to run even for a single day. Food is something crucial for every individual who is a part of the household – starting straightaway from little kids to the bread winners of the household. 

When Lord Shiva questioned the importance of Goddess Parvati, she left Kailasha. As soon as she left the mountain abode of the Divine, the world was devoid of life and energy. A magnificent wave of darkness engulfed the entire universe, consequently followed by droughts and famines, resulting in unfed infants crying on the wretched earth. When Lord Shiva finally met his wife, his worldviews were shaped quite differently by then. He realized the importance of food. This story highlights the importance of feminine energy, and how it perfectly complements and matches up to masculine energy to create the perfect balance in the materialistic world .