Sunday 30 June 2013

Vat Savitri ..Part 1.

Namaste Readers..!
The title of this post leaves very little to your imagination..so let me not delay things any further, as this post is already too long and coming after a very long break.

Last Sunday was Vat Poornima aka Vat Savitri Puja.
And So-Saree being a sucker for following traditions and rituals, couldn't resist the temptation to write about this one.
This post was supposed to go live last Sunday itself, but ...
what the heck..it didnt..!
So..where was I..??

For those who dont know..Vat Savitri is the Maharashtrian equivalent of Karwa Chauth.
(I am sure you know about Karwa Chauth..as the Chopras and Johars of Bollywood have spent their entire lives immortalising this ritual.)
Since the scope of this Vrat/Puja was too long to be compiled in a single post, I have decided to split it in parts.

The First Part is my fav part..Story time folks...!
Again, the story is what my Aai told me..n mum's always right..! So if u have any doubts please feel free to check with Wiki.
The Vat Savitri Puja is done in memory of an incident which is a sub plot in Mahabharta.
This is how the story goes...
Savitri was the only daughter of King Asvapati. The King had given his beautiful daughter, the permission to choose her husband, and she chose Satyawan whom she met in a forest.
Satyawan was the son of a blind King Dyumatsena who had lost his kingdon and lived in exile in the forest.
When Savitri met Satyawan, he was carrying his blind parents in two baskets balanced on either side of a stick. (remember Shravan Kumar???)
Impressed by his dedication to his parents, Savitri chooses him as her righteous partner. But before she could break the news to her Father, he had already learnt about Savitri's choice from Narada...(the Google equivalent of Indian mythology.)
But what Savitri didn't know was that Satyawan was destined to die in a year..(so Narada was better than Google in that aspect..an advanced version you can say..!)
King Asvapati, tried to change her mind, but Savitri was adamant and chose to stick to her choice.
Finally her Father relented and got them married. After marrying Satyawan, Savitri embraced the life of a hermit and began living in a forest facing a lot of hardships. But she was a devoted wife and daughter in law, and left no stone unturned in fulfilling her responsibilities and duties.
A year passed by, and the day Satyawan was predicted to die was soon approaching..
3 days prior to the day, Savitri started a fast ..a very strict n disciplined one.
The morning Satyawan was destined to die, Savitri accompanied her husband to the forest. Satyawan while cutting wood from a Banyan tree (Vat Vriksha) fell down and fainted..!
Savitri placed her husband's head on her lap, and saw Yama- the God of Death who had come to claim the soul of Satyawan. She saw him carrying the soul of Satyavan and started following him. Yama first ignored Savitri thinking that she will soon return back to her husband’s body. But she persisted and kept on following him.
Yama tried to persuade her saying it is against the nature of law to return the dead to life, but Savitri remained adamant and kept following Yama, saying she would go anywhere her Husband goes.
Finally, Yama told her that he will grant her 3 boons barring of course, the life of her husband, if she stopped following him..
And this is what Savitri asked for:
First Boon: Her in-laws be granted their eye sight, and be reinstated in their kingdom with full glory.
Second Boon: a 100 sons for her father
Third Boon: a 100 sons for herself

Yama said,"Granted."
The moment he uttered those words, Savitri replied, ‘Now that you have granted me the boon of having children please return my husband as I can only have children from him.’

Soon Yama realized that he had been tricked by Savitri, but seeing her persistence, he gave her back her husband's soul and asked her to return to her husband's body. When she reached the banayan tree, her husband was lying dead. She started going round (pradakshina) the Vat Vriksha and when she completed the pradakshina, Satyavan woke up as if from sleep.
This is the story of Satyawan and Savitri.
(Much better than Romeo and Juliet I say..atleast they both live in the end..)

Women worship the Vat Vriksha and perform Savitri Puja in memory of this event praying for the long lives of their husbands.

That's it for today guys..hope you enjoyed reading this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own the images used in this post.
 

Thursday 13 June 2013

Jiah Khan_A Lesson to Learn.



Ever since, the Jiah Khan Suicide case made it to the headlines, it's been a total chaos.
News Channels, Newspapers, Magazines and blogs have been featuring stories about Jiah and her life.

As far as I am concerned..I wouldn't say, I wasn't affected at all..but yes I was a little less affected.
But from the day, I read her suicide note (which by the way still needs to be verified and authenticated) I have been deeply hurt.

If the contents of the letter are assumed to be true.. then
YES..Jiah went through a lot.. her life was a mess.
But was suicide the only solution?? The only Let Out?

If people start ending their lives over a failed relationship, I guess we would hardly have any people we know around us. Coz I am sure most of them have been heartbroken at least once in their life.

Lessons to learn from Jiah Khan's Suicide Case..(It's no Gyaan ..just my thoughts..!!)
  • No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
  • Future/ settling down..does not mean marriage and kids.
  • Love and Marriage as shown on television and movies is shit most of the times..so flush it off your system once you are done enjoying them. They only create unrealistic expectations.
  • Professional Success does not necessarily mean you are successful in life..nor does being married or living in a big house with big bucks does... Success is when you are happy and content.
  • Happily Ever After will always be in fairy tales..in real life..it will happy, sad, angry, frustrating and even worse... but remember where there is darkness there will be light. All you have to do is let the night pass...And you will be Victorious Ever After.
    Much better I say..!
  • We live in a society for sure...but we do not live for them or vice versa. So do things..that you feel are right.
  • No one in this world loves you more than yourself...so rely only on that person to make you happy.
  • God is the knower of future and not the causer..so don't blame him.
    But also remember, God helps those who helps themselves.

    Jiah decided to end her life for a person who didn't love her..
    I wonder why couldn't she have chosen to live for the people who loved her.
     
    Let me end this post with the wise words of Rhonda Byrne
    No-one is destined to live a life of poverty, because each of us has the ability to change everything in this life. The law of attraction is the law of creation, and it allows each person to create the life they want. Every person has their own unique circumstances to overcome, but every single person has the opportunity to achieve anything - and change everything.
    RIP Jiah Khan!
    May Better Sense Prevail.

Disclaimer: I do not own the images used in this post.

Tuesday 11 June 2013

My Monsoon Essentials Wish List..!!!

It's Raining..Hallelujah..!!!

Actually it's raining cats and dogs in Mumbai.
Also this is proof that GOD himself reads So-Saree's blog posts.

Don't believe me..???
Please do..!
Or else what could possibly explain the fact that it starts pouring minutes after I publish my last post, cribbing about the hot and sweltering weather in Mumbai...!!
You see..God seems to like me too much and does follow my posts religiously..!!!;)

Alright....Alright..No More Kidding..!!!
Since the Rain God has finally showed some mercy on us, why not please him and thank him for the lovely showers.
And what better way than to meet and embrace him in style.

My Monsoon Essentials Wish List...
I really want each one of them...I know I am greedy..but I am sure once you scroll down you wouldn't blame me a bit.

  • Gum Boots Vs Crocs/Rainy Sandals:
    I hated Gum Boots as a child and my mom forced me to wear them. I so envied my sister in her rainy sandals..they seemed so cool that time. Mom said I could only wear them once I was old enough to take good care of myself. But now, I want to go back to the Gum Boots. I really do. I hate walking in the murky waters and puddles especially if I am on my way to work, or some meet.
    Gum boots are definitely more functional ..but as far as the cuteness quotient of Crocs is concerned..not many can beat them. Tell me which one do you like?

  


  • Rain Coats Vs Umbrellas:
    Same story again..I was forced to wear a raincoat to school, while my sister carried colorful umbrellas in the rain. I whined, cried, complained..but then..I did not know ..when I would be be big enough to take care of myself. [And now I whine and complain coz I am a grown up and have to take care of everything myself..! :( ]
    Fast Forward to today..I own raincoats as well as umbrellas..n though I find raincoats more functional and easy to carry, I limit them only to my shopping trips and casual strolls. While Umbrellas constitute a part of my work wear or formal wear wardrobe.
                       






  • Shorts:
    Though Monsoons are always welcome in Mumbai, the one thing that I hate most about them, is when the the lower hem of your clothes gets wet, and you can't get rid of them until you get home. That's why I feel shorts are much better and way too functional for the rainy season. So what better time to flaunt those toned legs than monsoons. Get out in the rains in your fav shorts to escape the wet and soggy nightmares.

  • Three Fourths/Capris:
For the more conservative types or for those who are plain lazy to wax their legs during monsoons, three- fourths are a safe bet.
Take a look at the lovelies..I want them all.
                                                               
  • Sarees:
    And if you are thinking about how to wear your sarees during monsoons, take a look below and see for yourself.

Tada..The Monsoon Saree..what do you guys say..???


Happy Monsoons Everyone..!

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Disclaimer: I do not own the images used in this post.

Thursday 6 June 2013

Inspired by Didi

Hello everyone..I hope you are doing fine...
and the weather in your part of the world is a little better than mine..{WOW..thats rhymes..!;)}
coz in Mumbai its freaking Hot...and Sweltering.

Speaking of Freak reminds me....did I tell you guys about my Sister??
(Haa..I love writing this blog..!)
If not, hear me now. I am the youngest of the two daughters to my super cool parents and my elder sister Jagruti has always been like a Guiding Angel to me.(See..I can make amends)
The best part of being the younger sibling..is you are young..no matter how old u get..and they will be old..no matter how young they are..!(silly grin)

Okay ..so Didi (that's wot I call her) is like the coolest sister you can ever have..who loves to shop, eat n read..just like me.
But she is also overly protective and critical when it comes to me..and hence voices her opions very strongly especially about my blog posts.
The only person who's feedback I fear about my blog is hers..coz somewhere deep down..I know she talks sense.
So coming back to Didi.. whenever we discuss or talk about So-Saree..she will always question my authority (with a straight face) to write a fashion blog..!
and I laugh it off by saying that So-Saree is a Lifestyle blog and not a Fashion blog.
So the last time, I told her that So-Saree is a lifestyle blog..she blatantly said..but I can't see anything other than fashion related stuff on your blog..!
And that was like a much needed eye opener for me.
So... the purpose of writing this whole Ramayan aka story..was to justify the topic that I am discussing today.

I have already cribbed a lot about my crazy everyday schedule and that how after I started blogging, I hardly have any time left to do anything else. But I think..I missed telling you one more thing..!
Weeks after I started blogging I started experiencing acute backaches (I do not blame my blog for it..it's just a reference point). Blame it on my sedentary lifestyle..but I was in pain. And though I was working out in the gym (for a sad meager 30 mins..something is better than nothing), I felt my posture was not feeling fine.
And this is what I resorted to... SuryaNamaskar.
Believe me..this is like the best thing that has happened to mankind.[ After Sunscreen of course. ;)]

Surya Namaskar literally means Salutation to the Sun...a deity in Indian Mythology.
To know more about it..ask Wiki.
So Surya Namaskar is a combination of 12 Aasanas..which when practiced with the right postures gives you a complete body work out.
Surya Namaskar used to be a vital part of my workout schedule during the college days..but as you grow older..you tend to take some things for granted.. resort to quick returns in short time..and before you know..Well..you already know the rest.!! So Never Mind..!
So, this is how I started..
I started rising 15 mins earlier than my regular time..and did 12 SuryaNamaskars every morning.
The first day was bad..and I was surprised how stiff my body had become over the years. Every Aasana ended with a grunt ..it hurt..but I felt good.
15 mins..and I was done.
The grunting session continued for a week..but then my body got more comfortable with the Aasanas.

My Verdict:
15 mins..15 days..and I am proud to say..Backache gone.
Of course I didn't stop at that..and I do Surya Namaskar till date..!
I do recommend it to everyone..it's just great.

A video presentation of Surya Namaskar by Isha Sharwani..

..it's Isha for heaven sake..SO IT'S OK..if ur posture is not as perfect as hers.
Have you tried Surya Namaskar Yet?

Hope you are following us on Facebook !!!


P.S. Sometimes I feel we as Indians are fortunate to be so culturally rich ..but we tend to forget it..in an attempt to ape something that we are not. :(

 

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