The Placid Kashid Beach : A Fantastico Getaway between Mumbai and Pune

One of the not so pleasing repurcussion of today 'a super fast world is the relationships turning fragile with working couples struggling to make way to spending quality time with each other and with their kids... The only respite it the weekends which prove to be a breather !

It is thus I ensure that our long weekends turn special more often than not by planning quick vacations at nearby weekend getaways... as it is to relieve us of everyday's hustle bustle and chaos we preferable choose quiet placid locations mostly in the lap of Mother Nature ❤️❤️ where we can hear each other's heartbeats and share some candid laughter with our little peanut!

Thus this New Year which was immediately followed by my precious half's birthday , we decided to hit the Kashid Beach , a little ahead of Alibagh and approximately equidistant from Mumbai and Pune...we have categorically chosen this white sand beach for it's unparalleled beauty as well as peaceful ambiance in comparison to many other beaches at Alibagh....

And the moment we set our foot there , we didn't regret our decision a single pence....this beach was a true marvel and we loved absolutely everything about it!

Besides it's serine beauty it offered everything from watersports to horse and romantic carriage rides to yummy food! Swapping between fun in waves and then soaking ourselves in sun while building sand castles with sonny on the beach, it was great fun and awesome time together! We even planned a surprise cake cutting ceremony on the beach for hubby darling to add to the fun ❤️❤️

We chose home stays this time over resort on account of non availability in all good ones but it turned out to be a real blessing in disguise too!

We slept in a home like clean room after having home cooked food and a long candid heart to heart tete-a-tete and drove back the next evening after spending another fun filled day there ! The long drive to Kashid Beach was mesmerising too as my hubby loves driving but if u don't choose to stay at Nagaon beach in alibagh as the access from there to Kashid beach is single laned and crowded...you can also easily return the same night and I bet this is one the most Fantastico getaways near Mumbai Pune for all seasons!

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

The impact of treating Menstrual cycles as Taboo on the conscience of Liittle Girls

Dear Readers,

Today I have chosen to speak about something that has impacted me so deeply when I was young and which has hurt and pricked my sensitive soul umpteen number of times way back than and sarcastically even today sometimes....Yes, I am talking about treating a female as Impure during her menstrual cycles, in major sections of society in India even till the present day...For long I have felt like opening my heart against this despicable menace of Indian Society which makes little girls hearts bleed too....

While society has it's norms, has anyone ever thought how the little girl feels about all this , who has just attained puberty....I remember fainting on seeing the stains of my first menstrual cycle for I felt I have hurt myself while playing basketball.... Though my mom has spoken to me about it a couple of times, I actually did not get hold on most part of the concept as a thirteen year old as may be the situation of many others my age...

It took me almost a year to understand the cycle and I started admonishing it so much as I felt it is such a stumbling block in my otherwise wonderful playful busy routine....

I also hated it because granny did not allow me in temple and kitchen during those days and I loved to hang around my mom's neck whenever I was at home... My mom pacified my heart's burn over this by trying to give my logical excuses but most often I was left wondering why all this applies for only these 4 days....

Soon , I was told I cannot go for the lovely ritual of Hindus of "Kanya-Langura" to relish some yummy food and get beautiful gifts to my relatives' and neighbours' houses while my brother can....it was not only me who was questioning but also my younger bro - " Why can't didi go with me mamma?".....

I felt pathetic amidst all this and the days of my menstrual cycles were the ones where I hit the bottom of my self-esteem...The only silver lining I saw that time was my mom who never differentiated between me and my brother on any fine day to the best of her abilities whenever she can!

As I grew up a little she taught me that when this process is responsible for the most beautiful feeling of the world - to become a Mother, how can we be impure during those days! Her words had the deepest impact on me and I genuinely started living it!

I developed a greater understanding of my periods and lead an absolutely normal life during them! I prayed, entered kitchen, played my favourite sports and did everything else with similar vigour without loosing my confidence.....only thing I didn't enter temples or ceremonies during this period as I in no way meant any harm to other people's believes and rituals!

But for myself, I am as pure as GangaJal during my cycles too and I am proud nature has given me this capacity of giving birth....I feel the purest when I hold my little sonny in my arms... So for all those who treat Menstrual Cycles as Taboo, I reiterate my mom... How can a phenomenon that forms the foundation of reproduction in Mankind, that gives one the most wonderful feeling of being called a mom or dad or grandmom or granddad or aunt or uncle render some one impure??? I am extremely curious to know... The only argument I have heard is that girls were traditionally not allowed in kitchen so that they can rest on their delicate days.... But what about all other places and preventing her from worshipping her lord....I would genuinely like to take this debate ahead from here... As I deeply fear how this malpractice affects the sensitive conscience of millions of young girls in our country as it once did to me and had my mom not come to my rescue I would have never regained myself! We must sort ourselves out on this as early as possible , under all circumstances , for the better future of our young damsels and eventually for the betterment of our society!

                                                     -Truly Yours Roma

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Prayers: My Soul's Ultimate Refuge in Navigating My Life

There is a special someone or a special power in each one's life that aids him, guides him in navigating through the treacherous path of life... This special person or guiding light steers him in the right direction and becomes the  bolster of support during the testing times in the sinusoidal cycle of life !

For me, I drive great power through prayers whenever I loose my way in the beautiful journey of life... They calm my mind, help me regain my lost faith and support me in the smooth navigation of my life....

Prayers pacify the humongous waves of my heart's anxiety
And aid me shift my focus away from stuff filthy...

They are my source of unparalleled energy
That become my divine light to lead a life worthy...

This was not the case 9 years back when I lost my mom...
and my world collapsed in a flick of a second...

I was devastated to the extend no words can ever describe...
for my wings were still tender and I was yet to take my first flight!

Until then I was totally dependent on her for everything... From needing her shoulder to cry to my laughs that loved the twinkle in her eyes....I knew not where to go... I couldn't even sob as I had to support my traumatized dad and teenaged brother!

Silently , I picked up the pieces of my broken heart and cried hard to the Supreme Power, to confer on me the strength to sew back the broken strands of my nest....Suddenly, I felt a deep strength that carved out my road ahead!

It took us quite long to overcome the loss
but I thereafter became the adopted daughter of my Lord...

I prayed and prayed to him...
And he thereafter navigated me through thick and thin !

Till today I feel, my mom lives with him and My prayers are my medium of communicating with her everyday around... and this is the sole reason I always genuinely believe that my Prayers are my Soul's Ultimate Refuge for Navigating My Life in Any Situation....

                                         -Truly Yours Roma

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

A Fantastico Experience at Adlabs Imagica

I feel proud to have witnessed the fantastico evolution of the Indian industry in the past decade, in terms of their involvement in the overall well being of their workforce...including their families! And it is this heathy trend which has given rise to the concept of Family Day in almost all leading organisations.... may it be a trend which we had picked up from the west or it's our conscience's belated discovery ....under all circumstances it's an absolute delight to honour and meet and greet the families which form the backbone of the workforce that sweats for them !

I have always loved the Family Days and have made sure all three of us, me, my precious half and my little rock star ensure we are a part of it❤️❤️ By making adjustments in our super busy yet at time quite a monotonous schedule..

And this time there was an added reason to our zeal , the venue of Family Day was the State-of-an-Art and the Bestest Adlabs Imagica Theme Park....

My lil one couldn't hold his excitement the previous night ANC kept building his castles in dreams and riding the fiercest of the Roller Coaster!

Next morning we set out on our long drive of about 2 hrs to it from Pune...our excitement knew no bounds... For my readers who wanna know, Adlabs Imagica is situated midway Mumbai - Pune connected through a brilliant expressway ❤️❤️

Soon we entered the Magical, Spell-binding and mesmerising world of dreams 👌👌 The lovely Castle amidst cascades of streams flowing down to lotus lake stole our heart at the first glance❤️

Time just flew after that... We had a self-explanatory Navigation Map to help us sail through the crazily huge premises ... Soon we were  all over all rides , roller-coasters, dinosaur water drops, in tankers, in  Word Class Movie theatres , eating , drinking , giggling , dancing with the Imagica Characters parade throughout... 

Oh what a Fantastico break it was....the peppy music made us shun all inhibitions and shake a leg with their dance troupe in the closing ceremony❤️❤️ Until we were drop dead tired😊

The precious priceless memories of this Full of smiles, fantastico family outing are forever imprinted on our hearts and I give a Salute and Thumps up to the corporates for giving such lovely moments to cherish to it's employees ❤️❤️

This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

Amruta's Impactful Battle to Regain her Lost Paradise

Amruta was born to believe that it's the circumstances in one's life and how he/she deals with it, that make or break him/her...Such humongous is the Impact sometimes...They may perish you forever or make you emerge out stronger and undeniably more balanced and capable to take the most treacherous situations in your stride and she has chosen the latter after falling a prey to gloomy bludgeoning years of self-imposed confinement!

Chirpy, sharp, peppy, lovable and always beaming with positive energy were the words that described little Amruta, till reality struck her....Her world came shattering upon her when her step father in a fit of anger snatched her apart from her 3 siblings whom she has so fondly held ever since they were born...With tear-filled swollen eyes she looked at her mom in an innocent questioning frown of a 12 year old..with mom giving her a guilt -full nod to all that she had just heard was heart-breakingly true...The world was never the same for her!

No matter how hard she tried...
Her heart bleeded in solitary cries...

The pain and anxiety never left her side..
and she kept retrieving deeper into her shell with fright...

Years passed and though she learnt to hide her tears,
Behind her Smile as wide as river Nile...

Her battered and shattered heart,
pricked her to break free from the clutches of the atrocities of life!!

And that's exactly what she did...From the family for whom she meant nothing, one fine day, she ran away, ran away with all her might...The distance from Kolhapur to Belgaum was only a few hours but for her it meant mustering all her courage and it was undoubtedly not very easy.

But once she took the plunge, there was no looking back for my Angel...Soon her soft wings grew stronger to take an independent flight...She worked hard and also kept grooming herself through part time courses...Above all  she learnt to Dream and Smile! Day by Day, Month on Month, Year on year she kept growing and her Fantastico Focus and Dreams to not die unnoticed and do something for humanity became her unparalleled sources of inspiration!

Today, Amruta runs her own Beauty and Therapy Clinic with a staff of 8 female Staff (who are from under-privileged sections of society and whom she has trained herself to make them independent) with her....Her road isn't easy and also this is not the end of roads for her! She wants to do much more for everyone around her as usual with her peppy smile as wide as river Nile! Glad she has regained the Aim and Music of her life and is navigating her Life so well !

She is a such a Exemplary Example to Many More her age and in similar situation Trap, that I was compelled to narrate her Impactful True Tale to Regain her Lost Paradise here, Straight From The heart!!

                                                          -Truly Yours Roma


This blog post is inspired by the blogging marathon hosted on IndiBlogger for the launch of the #Fantastico Zica from Tata Motors. You can apply for a test drive of the hatchback Zica today.

WINNER of "Santa's Miracle Winter Home Giveaway"

My Wonderful Readers of Straight From The Heart!

It gives me immense Pleasure to announce the Winner of our very first #Contest of #2016, "Santa's Miracle Winter Home Giveaway".......

Based on the Lovely Entries punched in by you, love to 

announce the name of the person who walks away with a

 lovely Hamper worth 1K from House This on Jabong!!

And the Winner is : Ms. RooPa ManiRa

Our Heartfelt congratulations to the WINNER and we wish 

she remains the most loyal patron of SFTH like always.

Roopa, Kindly send us your address details at the earliest.

And yeah for all others, there is absolutely no reason to loose 

hope, we immediately bring to another lovely Beauty 

Giveaway with 3 Bumper Winners, so Stay Geared...

Cheers <3 <3