My sister - My best friend

"She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities.  She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway.  She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark.  She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink.  Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child"

Sisters. Confidantes. Best friends. Protectors.

This is what Raga and I have been from day one.
People who meet us now, as adults, ask us if we have always been so close. People find that so funny especially since there is a 5 year age gap between us. Raga has always been like a best friend that I can never get rid of.
I still remember the day she was born. I was soooo excited to have a baby sister to play with and someone who would be my best friend.
Ever since she was a kid she's had a very serious front but then can be quirky and funny at times. Even though we have a big age difference, she's the more mature one (or I don't know if it's because I never actually grew up)




She often advices me which I find amusing.
In college, I’d often come home to hear her waiting to hear about my day and what happened.

While we have had our moment, certainly, I have always been so grateful for my sister and the loving, caring, wonderful sister bond we share.
We both know that no matter what, we will always be there for each other. We will always be so proud of each other’s accomplishments, and be each other’s biggest cheerleaders.
We will always be there for a hug, a laugh, a cry, a venting session – anywhere, anytime one of us needs it. We will never turn our backs on each other.
Raga is the only person who can make me laugh when I'm down like few people can.
I love how we can be in a crowded room, with many other people, and all it takes is a knowing look at one another to understand that both of us think something is funny. Or outrageous. Or ridiculous.
We understand each other like no one else.
It’s a sister thing.
But although we are so similar in so many ways – our senses of humor, our loyalty to family, our entrepreneurial spirits, our capacities to love, our penchants for gossip – we are very different in many ways, too.
But our differences only serve to complement us even more.
Raga is very expressive. If something is on her mind, she will not hesitate to let you know. Anyone, really, who wants to know. The whole story. From start to finish. And then some.
I am much more reflective. If something is on my mind, I prefer to take my time to think about it on my own. And share when I am ready to share. Only what I want to share. And only with whom I want to share.

Raga is also very smart. I call her the brains of the family.
She plans things in advance and s very ambitious. She has always gone ahead and done whatever she has decided in her mind to do and I admire that about her.


I am so grateful to be able to talk, laugh, and collaborate together. Mom's sister was 12 years older than her so she is like our sister too. We all just have fun together. We respect each other. We love each other.

For Raga, caring about me means caring about the ones I love. And vice versa.
We will always support one another.

We are Sisters. Confidantes. Best friends. Protectors.

Eat your way to beauty..............

In my 9 years of modelling I've heard tons of advice on how to eat right. Have you heard advice like "bananas make your hair shine or papayas make your skin glow?"  So what exactly is a good diet? What is good and bad for you? You hear so much advice sometimes it confuses you.

 You don't have to starve yourself to look good. All you need is to eat the right foods.

Eyes
- Green vegetables : Spinach, zucchini, broccoli and brussels sprouts contain a caroteinoid called lutein and a pigment called zeaxanthinan. Both defend your cells from free radicals and help keep your eyes lustrous. Avoid overcooking for best benefits. Steam or sauté, instead.
- Orange and other vegetables that are rich in antioxidants and fibre work against under-eye puffiness.


Skin
- Probiotic yoghurt : It contains good bacteria that help your skin look healthy. Eczema sufferers can benefit a great deal from a daily intake.
- Fish : Oily fish such as sardines and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids that reduce skin inflammation and keep it moisturised. They also promote elasticity, keeping wrinkles at bay.
- Berries : Strawberries, blueberries, etc., contain antioxidant phytonutrients that get rid of free radicals in the blood and guard your collagen, thereby boosting skin repair. Collagen makes your skin supple, smooth and plump.


Nails
- Have chicken, turkey, pork , milk, cheese, yeast, peanuts, beans, wholegrain cereals to avoid brittle nails. Pumpkin seeds are one of the most concentrated non-meat sources of zinc. But many vegetarian foods also contain phytic acid that binds with zinc, making it unavailable to the body. Hence, take a Vitamin C supplement. It will make zinc more available.


Hair
- Poultry : Lean meats like chicken and turkey provide high quality proteins, essential for growth, repair and maintenance. Low-fat milk products such as skimmed milk, yogurt and cottage cheese are great sources too. If you like eggsand don't suffer from high cholesterol, have one yolk a day. It contains Vitamin B-12 which promotes hair growth and prevents hair loss.
- Salmon : It contains omega-3 fatty acids, B12 and iron.
- Flaxseeds : What salmon does for non-vegetarians, flax seed does for vegans.
- Oysters : Try oysters for faster hair growth. They contain zinc.
- Whole wheat and brown rice : Make sure you include whole wheat, brown rice and fortified cereals in your everyday diet.

As long as you ensure you eat right amounts of healthy food, you will always be beautiful. Remember dieting doesn't mean depriving yourself from food but rather eating the right kinds of food in the right portions.......

 

What type of clothes to wear according to your body shape and size

Ladies, it is now the time to build up on some knowledge and get to know your body shape as there are four different female body shapes. Each of these has its do’s and don’ts when buying garments for your wardrobe as it is important to know your body type and also what to buy to make you look and feel great.

The four basic types of body shapes are:

1THE PEAR-SHAPED FIGURE

Typical Pears have:

Long slender neck

Sloping and narrow shoulders

Small to medium bust

Defined waist

Curvy hips

Full thighs and calves

With this body shape you have to over play on the upper body and give your lower body a slimmer sleeker look. You have to ensure attention to your face neck and bust.

You can easily do this by using:

·        colour at the top

·        Dark colours for bottoms, and

·        Wide necklines

Tops:

You can wear the following tops with confidence:

·        Slightly looser fitting tops and fitted tops

·        Blouses with a lot of detailing

·        Tops in all sorts of prints

·        Tops with puffy sleeves and wide-set straps

·        Tops with draped-, v’d-, rounded or squared necklines

·        Halter tops that tie at the back

Dresses and skirts:

·        Flared skirts

·        A-line skirts

·        Wrap-around dresses

Bottoms:

Remember to look at the darker wash jeans or darker colour for bottoms. Also invest in midrise jeans as this will give the illusion of slimmer hips and

bottom.

Look at:

·        Pants or jeans with flared leg

·        Pants or jeans with wide-leg

·        Straight leg jeans

Shoes:

·        Pointed toes

·        Peep-toe (open front showing the toes) shoes are more flattering

·        Sleek shoes with a thinner heel

STAY AWAY FROM:

·        Stilettos heels

·        Body-hugging tight skirts

·        Full skirts

·        Jeans with huge pockets

·        Pants with bulky side pockets

·        Bold patterns, light colours and large checks used on your bottoms

·        Tight jeans

·        Jeans with a lot of detail on the hips and bottoms

·        High-waisted pants

·        No flashy belts that draw the attention to your hips and thighs

2THE APPLE-SHAPED FIGURE

Typical Apples have:

Fuller face and neck

Broad shoulders

Fuller bust

Fuller, undefined waist

Narrow hips

Shapley legs

Balance is always the goal and should be kept in mind throughout. For the apple shape we have to draw the focus to your best attributes which will be your breasts and legs. You have to ensure the appearance of slimmer shoulder and waist.

Tops:

You can wear the following tops with confidence:

·        Wrap-around tops

·        Fitted tops (but not too tight)

·        Tops with v-necklines

·        A camisole or tank top with matching top is the best for you

·        Belted blouses and jackets

·        Darker solid coloured tops

Dresses and skirts

Skirts in chiffon and silk work the best for you. Make sure that your skirts are fitted at the waist and flared towards the hem

·        Shorter skirts

·        A-line skirts

·        Tulip skirts

·        Dresses with lots of details around the neckline

Bottoms:

·        Jeans with flat front

·        Jeans with back pocket and flaps

·        Boot-cut and flared-leg jeans

·        Lighter washes in jeans

·        Capris with back pocket detail

Shoes:

·        Chunkier heels

·        Wedges

·        Sleek shoes with a thicker heel is the best

STAY AWAY FROM:

·        Stilettos

·        Tops that are too baggy

·        No full sleeves

·        Bold patterns and large checks above your waist

·        Jeans with darker washes

·        Tapered legs

·        Shoulder pads

3THE HOUR GLASS-SHAPED FIGURE

THE Typical Hourglasses have:

·        Symmetrical shoulder and hips

·        Full busts

·        Defined waists

·        Medium to broad hips

·        Shapely legs

You are of the fortunate few when you blessed with a hourglass shaped body. This is an ideal form and already balanced. This figure is the easiest to dress as most of the garments will look good on you.

Tops:

·        V-neck and scooped neck tops

·        Wrap-around tops

·        Halter tops

·        Small dots and patterns for tops

Dresses and skirts:

·        Pencil skirts

·        ¾ length skirts and maxi skirts

·        A-line skirts

·        Party dresses

·        Full dresses

·        Halter-neck dresses

·        Wrap-around dresses

Bottoms:

·        Slightly flared-leg jeans

·        Wide-leg jeans

·        Mid-rise jeans

·        Low-rise jeans (make sure they not too low)

·        Any kind of Capris will look good on you

Shoes:

You can wear any kind shoe as they all look good on you. The sky is the limit.

·        Stilettos

·        Wedges

·        Strappy shoes

·        Slinky shoes

STAY AWAY FROM:

·        Baggy tops and pants

·        Straight lines in tops and skirts and jackets

·        Shorts that are too short

·        Blouses with ruffles (will hide all your good features)

·        Tops with large prints and checks and stripes (don’t hide away those

good features)

4 THE RECTANGULAR FIGURE

Typical Rectangles have:

·        A full neck

·        Broad back

·        Average bust

·        Undefined waist

·        Great legs and arms

This is the ideal shape for today’s model. As my goal is to keep the balance your goal is easy.

TOPS:

You can wear the following tops with confidence:

·        Wrap-around tops with scooped and V-necklines.

·        Spaghetti strap tops

·        Fitted tops that go in at the waist

DRESSES AND SKIRTS:

·        Dresses with a contoured waistband

·        Wraparound dresses

·        Skirts with dropped waist

·        Pencil skirts

·        A-lined skirts

·        Flared skirts

·        Maxi skirts

Bottoms:

·        Jeans with larger back pockets and flaps

·        Low rise jeans

·        Capris

SHOES:

You can wear any kind shoe as all will look good on you. The

sky is the limit.

·        Stilettos

·        Wedges

·        Strappy shoes

·        Slinky shoes

STAY AWAY FROM:

·        Vertical patterns and lines

Very tight-fitting blouses

·        High-waisted skirts, pants and jeans

·        Baggy tops and bottoms

HOUR

So next time you are going to pick up a dress keep all of this in mind................  :)

The blueprint on relationships (parents)

Originally from India my family has always had a big emphasis on houses, property etc. To make it more clear Indians like my family for instance believe that a lifetime of hard work and saving is to buy a nice home and property back in their native place. Obviously this is on top of the inheritance of the ancestral home that they get. The ancestral homes of course being decades old and sometimes need a lot of renovations done. But to imagine our great grandparents built such a huge house saving every penny they earned through sheer hard work is so admirable.

So after all the years of wear and tear, you’d expect that by now it would need some work. That’s just life. Without maintenance, things don’t stay perfect forever.



But what about when the house was first built? Can you imagine the architect standing on the plot, looking around, with a vision in his mind of what he was about to create. He works hours and hours and hours to design his vision with precision. He rolls out the blueprints on the table and with his pencil and eraser, he sketches and erases, and then sketches again and again. He has to get the house “square”, he has to place the doors and windows just so, and the support beams need to be in exactly the right places. And even beyond the mechanics of it, there is a certain feel, an ambiance, that he is striving to create. So he continues to work…and work…taking that feeling from a 2-D idea all the way to a 3-dimensional realistic structure. He buries himself in the task of creating a place where a family can live. Forever if they take good care of it.

How much more complicated are human relationships than one dumb stick-built house? How much harder is it to get our relationships “square”? Putting all the support beams in just the right place, creating a “feeling” and a structure that is safe and secure?

The thing is, building a house is similar to building a relationship. Much more complicated, but still the the same. Relationships, like houses, require the right “blueprint”. A foundation upon which to begin laying the stones. The blueprints we have for these relationships come from our experiences in our lives. For instance my mom has always held me when I needed support but never hesitated to be stoic and a strict disciplinarian. My dad has always been protective of us but yet gave us solid advice when needed. These are the foundations upon which parents begin to lay their parenting stones with us, their children. Think back to your past relationships. What kind of “blueprints” have you been given? What kind of foundation did they lay for you to build on?


For many of us, looking back at our blueprints is confusing. It’s confusing to be asked to build something that you don’t have the blueprints for. Often kids misinterpret these blueprints. They confuse the love and discipline that parents give us to being harsh and cruel.
We all need to understand that parents are the only people in this world who will give us the experience of unconditional acceptance and the safety to express ourselves. It is only when we understand these blueprints, that we are finally able to pass that on to our own kids.

I have to say, I’m only alive today because my parents loved me. And not because they had to. But just because they chose to. I thank them for that.


"When we heal our relationship with our parents, we are healing a deep part of ourselves, and this will enhance all our relationships"  

There is an ancient saying in the Hindu tradition that unless we receive the blessing of our parents, we cannot progress on our spiritual path. This saying may conjure images of an elderly parent dressed in long flowing robes laying their hand upon their child and blessing their journey. Few of us will ever receive this type of blessing, yet there is much wisdom in that saying that applies to us today.


Rather than waiting for something to come from our parents, we receive their blessing when we come to an inner peace about why we were born to them and the lessons and gifts that come from that experience. To truly progress on our spiritual journey we must attain this inner peace about our mother and father. This peace will give us more motivation in our lives, allow our relationships with others to deepen, strengthen us as parents, enhance our career and bring more energy and health to our personal lives. Coming to this inner peace is not often easy, but is so worth the inner effort.

Every year when my parents go back to India they ensure they contribute to charity. Now my family has an opinion that rather than give money away and risk it being squandered to actually do a good deed for the unfortunate. I remember as a young kid listening to my parents discussing what would be the best way to embark on such a noble deed. Many options came up like providing clothing and food for orphans, taking part in a community service etc. But what they finally decided was the best of them all - taking care of elderly people who have been dumped at nursing homes by their children. My maternal grandmother passed away when I was young. I remember her well but my mom always tell me how great and loving she was and hold she sacrificed so much for her family. My mom especially felt a deep sense of sorrow for those parents who probably led grand lives taking great care of their children and providing their every need to be just dumped at a nursing home.

Some people hold grudges if their parent spanks them or disciplines them in any way. I think that sometimes a parent has to do that to make a child understand right from wrong. Kids have to understand and move on and make peace with it. The peace comes from understanding the spiritual lessons and gifts and that come from having a parent that took such measure to ensure the child grows up to be responsible, loving adult.


Most of us have grown up learning the Ten Commandments. I'm sure we have all heard, "Honor Thy Father and Mother." I feel that the deeper meaning is that we are to honor the soul essence of our father and mother, and the spiritual gift and lesson that is ours to learn by being their child. This is deep and worthwhile work on oneself. A mature way of living is to learn the lesson from having been with our parents and then make that gift part of our strength and motivation as a person. In this way we are truly set free to become the person we want to be.

So this Mother's Day or Father's Day when you are sending off that card, or any other time, try to understand the lessons and resulting spiritual gifts from having this person as your parent. Feel the ways your relationship with your father and mother have strengthened you and caused you to grow spiritually. In this way you will be receiving the blessing of your parent.



So love your parents unconditionally and see the difference in your life........