Wardrobe

┈I believe a person's wardrobe says a lot about the personality of a person as well as many other aspects of his/her life. I never paid much attention to it, but more I progress on this journey, the more I feel amazed. Markets are full of so many clothes and accessories, dedicated, specialized shops for every purpose. Sometimes, my mind boggles do we really need all this. There are so many varieties in the market, and have you ever wondered what does all mean. Are we so specific about our needs before buying the things.
One thing to ensure before buying a dress is the neckline.

Types of Necklines:

• Cowl neck
• Polo neck (circular): these are high close-fitting collars that wrap around the neck itself, and are also called turtlenecks. They are most common for sweaters (also called jumpers) or jerseys.

• Jewel neckline (circular): these are round and sit at the base of the throat, and are also called the T-shirt neckline or crew neck.

• scoop neck (curved, concave up)

these have a curved U-shape, with the arms of the U hanging on the shoulders. The depth of the U can vary, ranging from demure styles to plunging.

• V-neck (2–4 linear edges, side edges diverge)

originate from the middle east, these are formed by two diagonal lines from the shoulders that meet on the chest creating a V shape. The depth of the V can vary, ranging from demure styles to plunging. The surplice version of this neckline (known as a portrait neckline) is an alternative. The V may also be truncated by a small bottom edge, forming a trapezoid.

• square neck (linear side edges neither converge nor diverge)

these are characterized by three linear edges, the bottom edge meeting the side edges at right angles. The bottom edge cuts across the figure horizontally and the side edges pass over the shoulders. A special case of this is the slot neckline, in which the side edges are very close (roughly the width of the collar-bone points), forming a narrow slot.

• deep or plunging neck

these are low necklines, in either V, U or square shapes, that reveal varying amounts of cleavage, and some even extending to the natural waist line.

• boatneck (one edge, nearly linear)

these have a high, wide, slightly curved neckline that passes past the collarbones and hangs on both shoulders, and are also called bateau necklines or Sabrina necklines. A variation is the portrait neckline.

• off-the-shoulder (one edge, nearly linear. Also known as Carmen neckline)

these are similar to boat necklines but are significantly lower, below the shoulders and collarbone. Usually these pass over the arms but, in the strapless neckline style, may pass under the arms. These necklines accentuate the shoulders and neck of the wearer.

• one-shoulder necklines (one edge, nearly linear)

these are asymmetrical linear necklines that cut across the torso diagonally, usually from one shoulder to under the other arm.

• halter necklines (linear, side edges converge on the neck)

these feature a V-neck or scoop front neckline with straps which wrap around and connect at the nape of the neck.

• sweetheart necklines (side edges linear, curved bottom edge concave down)

these have a curved bottom edge that is concave down and usually doubly scalloped to resemble the top half of a heart. The side edges often converge on the neck, similar to halter necklines. Sweetheart necklines accentuate the bosom.

• keyhole necklines

these are similar to halter necklines, but the converging diagonal lines meet in front of the neck, forming a "keyhole". More generally, these feature a central hole, usually just below the collar bones. These necklines are seen infrequently.

• surplice neckline

these are similar to how a bathrobe's neckline is formed by one side of the garment overlapping the other. For a dress, the lower layer is usually sewn to the top layer just under the bust.

3. Herringbone: A V-shaped twill weave

4. Styles of dresses:

i. A -line

ii. peplum hem(edge, frill)

iii. tea-length: anything between knee to ankle length

iv. sheath dress: A women's close-fitting dress

v. wrap or belt dress

vi.mermaid

vii. bodycon

viii.maxi

ix. full skirt

x. empire waist

xi.baby doll
xii.schiffili dress: schiffili is a chemical lace, so a dress with this lace.

5. categories of dresses:

i. dresses and skirts
ii. tops and blouses
iii. jeans and pants
iv. jackets and coats
      a. Gilet: It is a sleeveless jacket.

Length of sleeves:

1. 3/4
2. sleeveless
3. Short
4. Ballon Sleeves
5. Flutter sleeve: Loose and short sleeves on the shoulder

Women clothing Categories:

1. Dresses
2. Skirts
3. Jackets(Quilted/ puffers), Cape and Poncho, Sweaters, and cardigans
4. Blazer and coats(trench coat)
5. Shorts
6. Jeans and Trousers 
7. Tights and leggings or Hosiery: Size is determined by the height and hips measurement(i.e S, M, L).
8. Capri pants
9. T-shirts, tops, and blouses
10. Jumpsuits
11. Sweatshirts with or without a hoodie

Men clothing:

1. Dress Shirts: slim/regular/body fit. Size indicates the size of the chest. M is 38-40"(96 cm)

If possible, be a conscious consumer, and prefer to buy the eco-friendly clothing and also certified products like OEKO-TEX standard 100 or organic.

Fabric care:

1. Hand wash or Machine wash or do not wash (i.e. dry clean) Dot indicates the temperature i.e. one dot=30 degree Celsius; two dots = 40-degree Celcius etc. up to 95-degree Celsius(usually for kitchen clothes). If there is no bar: cotton wash; a single bar underneath the bucket: synthetic wash(mild detergent) and permanent press setting; if double bar: wool wash/very mild detergent i.e. delicate setting.
2. Drip dry(wringing is not allowed ), flat dry or hang/line dry; Tumbler dry(circle inside a square): Dot indicates the drying temperature i.e. low, or high.
3. Bleach or do not bleach(triangle symbol with or without a diagonal line): only oxygen bleach or non-chlorinated bleach.
4. Iron or do not iron(i.e. permanent press) Iron symbol with the dot inside indicates the temperature.
5. Dy clean only (indicated by a circle with a letter P inside) 

On washing machines: Lower the temperature, less time
Express or halftime: Symbol is tumbler with a horizontal line
Diamond shape means to start washing.

Fashion Vs Personal Hygiene and common sense

It is not uncommon to confuse between fashion and personal hygiene. Many people are very resistant to fashion, I never understood why and even you ask them they even don't know. But, it is partly concerned with culture, morality and has deep roots. But, my point is that there is a clear distinction between fashion and personal hygiene. And, fashion is not a bad word or a taboo, it just takes little common sense to understand the purpose.

1. Sunscreen: Sunscreens are like medicines to protect us from the harmful effects of Ultra Violet (UV) rays and we should ensure to apply sunscreen before leaving the house.

2. SunGlasses: Many times we are totally biased and do the most illogical things. This is very true in the case of Sun Glasses. In a country like India, where sunglasses are either part of style and fashion or designate you as a blind. Wearing a sunglass does not make a person stylish, in fact not doing the right thing at the right time makes you foolish. It is equally important to use the sunglasses to protect our eyes from the harmful effects of UV rays as it is to protect our skin from the sun by applying sunscreens.

3. Hat, turban, scarf or headgears: Same goes for the headgears like hat or turban. They protect us from the harmful effects of sun rays. In fact, using an umbrella in sunshine serves the same purpose to protect us from the direct contact of harmful sun rays.

4. Scrubbers: Especially in our late twenties, we should make it routine to apply face and body scrubbers before bath. The logic is scrubber helps to remove the dead skin cells and thus increase the breathe-ability of our skin.

5. Toner: Scrubbers open our skin pores so that our skin can breathe properly. So, we should always apply a toner after scrubbing.

6. Moisturizer(Body lotions and/or day/night creams): Our body is over 60% water. We have to keep it hydrated to keep it working properly. And we take efforts to keep our body hydrated by drinking water, but when it comes to buying moisturizers, we find it as a waste of money. Scrubbing or washing the skin takes away the natural oils that keep our skin soft and moisturized. Wind, cold temperatures, and heated houses also take the moisture away from the skin. Therefore, it is very important to apply the external moisturizer to keep it soft and supple.  We have different moisturizers for different purposes. Face moisturizers are only meant for the face as our face is more prone to acne than other body parts as well as get more exposure to the sun, and wind and gets drier than other body parts. Depending on the type of work, hands and foot also get drier, so we have a special hand and foot creams to moisturize them. For lips, we have a lip balm to make them moisturize. Again, moisturizers usually come in two forms: lotion and cream. lotions are light and creams are relatively substantial, so depending on the body type(dry, sensitive) and season, we come to choose between cream or lotion. Always invest some time to read the labels of the product before buying them, like if someone has oily or acne-prone skin, they should ensure that their moisturizer is oil-free and non-comedogenic (i.e. not tending to cause blackheads by blocking the pores of the skin). Also, depending upon the age and condition of your skin, some ingredients might be helpful like these CoQ 10 i.e. coenzyme 10 is very popular as it acts as an antioxidant.

7. Hair Conditioner: Same goes for the hair conditioners. People have no problem with using shampoos to clean their hair. But, due to ignorance avoid using conditioner. The shampoo has some chemicals that assist in taking dirt and grime away, at the same time it unbalances the pH of our hair, so to keep the pH of our hair balanced, we should apply conditioner on hair after washing.

8. Facial: We have no problem in doing oil massage to increase the blood circulation. But, when it comes to facials, you will hear this comment quite often that they don't have time and money to waste on these stupid things. Facial is nothing but the face massage that proceeds with face scrub and face mask. Facials helps to increase the blood circulation and keeps the skin smooth and tight.
For deep cleaning and massage purposes, we do employ some machines during facial procedure like Galvanic Machine, Ultrasonic machine etc.

9. Manicure and pedicure: These are also closely related to the personal hygiene and treat to ourselves. Manicures and pedicures are the names of the procedures that include cutting and filing the nails, removing the cuticles or dead skin, scrubbing, massaging and moisturizing the hands and foot, following by the nail color and accessories in case of females.

10. Face Serum: Their molecule size is so small that they can easily penetrate into the skin. There are two types of serums: water-based and oil based. Water-based serums go under the cream, while oil-based serums go above the cream. 

So caring about your body is about loving you. A visit to the beauty salon or mail parlor every now and then is not all about  wastage of time and money. It is an effort we put to keep our machinery, which is our body in this case, running smoothly and beautifully. It should not always be mistaken with indulgence.

Shoes: A Gentleman's Guide

Have you ever wondered about the types of shoes? I have not until I faced some discomfort in my foot. I have been going to gym and using the only which so ever was available to me at home. I did not know or bothered to buy something specific to the type of activity doing at the gym. But, I always wondered why do people carry all these different sorts of shoes along with them in the gym. The only thing mattered to me before buying the shoes was the look, and feel and of course the price. I never thought more from any other angle. And, when I recently encountered my foot discomfort and thought of little exploring the issue, then I realized how big and glorious is the foot industry.

And, there is a lot you can tell about a person by what they choose to wear on their feet.

So, for your knowledge, there are a variety of shoes for different tasks, occasions and seasons.

Now, the most common sports shoes or athletic shoes are:
1. Running shoes(have an alignment to push you in forwarding direction, usually with a cushion to support the knees)
2. Walking shoes(emphasize more on stability, suspension absorber at the bottom)
3. Training or cross-training shoes, joggers or sneakers(flat shoes)
4. Driving shoes or mocs or moccasin

The material of shoes:
1. Fabric: Linen, canvas
2. Leather: suede with napped look, deerskin, lamb, pig, alligator or crocodile
3. Rubber
4. Plastic
5. Wood

Seasonal Shoes:
1. Rain shoes
2. Winter boots or cold weather boots
3.Snow boots: water-resistant or waterproof
4. Snowshoes: used for snowshoeing
5. Ski boots
6. Hiking boots

Formal  shoes
     1. Dress Shoes :
            i. Oxford: close lacing: Named after the Oxford city of England. The one end of the lace flaps is sewen together. Very formal and preferred for black and white tie events.
            ii. Durby: open lacing: Both ends of the lace straps can be open wide apart. Preferred by people with bigger feet. They are less formal than Oxfords.
           iii. Blucher: open lacing
           iv. Brogue( shoes having perforations)
2. Chelsea Boots
3. Monk strap shoes and boots
4. Pointed Toe shoes

Informal shoes:
1. Slip-on
       i. Loafers
      ii. Boat or deck Shoes: anti slipary
      iii. Espadrilles

All about sarees

This is a fact that beauty is always directly associated with females. Aesthetics is an important aspect of being a female. I do not want to stereotype anything, I believe a good looking person(male or female) always appeals more. So, today I want you to know what an Indian girl should know about in this direction.
Every region of India has different ethnic clothes. Like in coastal areas of India, saree is more common wear for women.
Saree is a seamless dress and it is believed that it does justice to the curvy features of women and makes them look more elegant. Saree is one of the traditional dress from India or better say south Asia. It comes in different varieties and price ranges.

Types of sarees:

Based on Fabric: The most common types of saree materials are:

1. Silk: comes from Silkworm: feeds on mulberry leaves
2. Cotton: from cotton balls on the cotton plants
3. Lenin: from the flax seeds plant
4. Blended

 Based on Region:

1. Pattu sarees
2. Baluchari: West Bengal (Murshidabad, Bishnupur). Mythological characters
3. Bomkai, Sambalpuri, Kataki: Orissa

Print on Sarees:

1. check
2. flowers: Jamdani Dhakai
3. broad border sarees
4. booti saree

Mysore silk sarees: First time in India the king of Mysore ordered 12 power looms from Switzerland to make the silk sarees. So Mysore silk sarees are always power-loomed. 

Accessories:

1. check shawls
2. Body shaper for the saree

Every region of India is popular for different types of sarees.

Sarees are known by the region where they are weaved or the fabric material from which they are made from is sourced. For example, Banarasi and Kanjivaram silk sarees are very famous all over the world, these sarees are weaved in the Banaras, Uttar Pradesh, and Kanjivaram, Tamilnadu respectively. These are usually handloom sarees and take months to weave them. Therefore, these sarees are very expensive. And these sarees are made of pure material which is soft and can not be weaved on power-loomed. Because for power loom we need hard yarn like polyester. Secondly, handloom sarees are very durable and last for generations because of durable weaving but power-loom or machine-made sarees are not that durable in case of intricate designs of sarees like Dhakai Jamdani.
Muga silk sarees are a specialty of the Assam state of India. Mekhla Chadar is the type of saree popular in the Assam state of India.
Dhakai or Jamdani sarees: It is the weave famous from the Dhaka region of Bangladesh. And these sarees have jamdani or floral patterns on the saree. Jamdani is primarily a weave in cotton fabric. Again, these sarees are hand-loomed and very expensive.
Baluchari sarees are famous from the Baluchari village in Murshidabad district of West Bengal state of India. And, these sarees have intricate designs of mythological figures or stories on the pallu or loose portion of the saree.
Tussar silk is a variety of silk. There are broadly two types of silk: wild and cultivated. Tussar silk is wild silk.

There are other light-weight sarees of silk known as butter silk saree which are as smooth as butter.
 Then comes tant sarees, which are basically cotton sarees and very popular in the Eastern part of India e.g. West Bengal, Orissa.


Printed sarees: as the name suggests are printed instead of doing any zari or thread or gota work.

• Ikkat: These sarees use the resist-dyeing technique of yarn dyeing and famous for its blurriness texture.
• Tie and dye sarees are the ones that use the tie and dye technique for dyeing the sarees.
• Batik: is another resist-dyeing technique of fabric dyeing using wax.

The weave of the saree:
How a saree is weaved matters a lot because it totally changes the texture and feel of the saree.
For example, Kota Doria is a famous saree from the Kota region of Rajasthan and famous for the chequered weave patterns.
Chiffon saree
Net saree
Velvet saree
Organza saree


Type of work on the saree:
Then comes the types of work done on the saree like zari saree. A zari saree is the one with zari embroidery done on the saree. We have buti (flower bud design) work, stonework on the saree.


Nowadays double-double sarees are very famous, where two halves of the saree are made of different colors or two different materials of different colors.

Kabari wala and Bartan Wali

I moved to Europe few years ago and whenever I visit India people usually ask how life is different in Europe than India. And, most importantly how do I keep myself busy there. Other than clean air and water, clean cities and less traffic, almost no pollution of any kind whether air or noise, there are also subtle differences that you start observing when you reflect upon them.

I have seen that the mail box (which is called a post box in India) is always full in Europe, as well as in Canada. You would wonder why is it. I don't know why but I can tell you what keeps the mail box always full unless you put a note on the mail box that you don't want any unsolicited mails. In Canada and Europe, you get the weekly flyers in your mail box as well as free newspapers. Yes, in developed countries like Canada, Western Europe, newspapers are free. There are few paid newspapers as well but usually the local newspapers are free and they drop those newspapers in your mail boxes. And, if you visit a bank,  mall, or hospital, there are so many information flyers, newsletters and magazines on different subjects, that are also free and you can pick a copy if you wist to read. I am a voracious reader and all these stuff keeps me busy and well-informed.

As all these stuff is free, and you dispose these recyclable paper material in the recycling bins. So, there is no concept of Kabari wala in developed countries. 

Waste management approaches in India and developed countries are totally different.  This is something that you will surely observe. And, the knowledge of what to dispose where also makes the ordinary citizens of  western countries more wiser than ordinary lay persons of India. I was totally surprised when I first heard about the 'Waste Police' in Switzerland. Switzerland enjoys the reputation of the heaven on the earth and this country is worth visiting. Rules about waste management in Switzerland are so strict and well executed that people really care to dispose their waste properly. There are different waste bind for different purposes, waste centers etc.

For old clothes and shoes, there are separate bins. You can dispose your old clothes and shoes in those bins if they are in good condition and can be reused by others. If those clothes or shoes are not in such good condition to be reused than they go into the land fill. But, in India the concept of Bartan wali is so popular, these ladies will come door to door in the afternoons and exchange new utensils for old clothes i.e. sarees, pant, shorts, shoes, etc.

Likewise, for plastic and metals in India, we have kabari wala. But in developed countries, they have separate waste bins for everything.

These bartan walis used to be kind of afternoon entertainment in my childhood when my mom will negotiate a big utensil in exchange of old clothes. Likewise, one Sunday of every month was reserved for Kabari wala to sell the old newspapers. 

These kabari wala were also in big demand in the months of March or say early spring, when the school results are declared and students are excited to go back to the school and will study in new class. So, all the books and copies of previous year will be sold to the Kabari wala.

But, in developed countries you do not find this fun. And, these are the occasions when you get the chance to interact with people. And interaction with real people is very important, it keeps you emotionally healthy. But in this technology driven world, in-person interaction is diminishing though the speed is slow but steady.

 

First Impression of Western World

I moved to Canada almost a decade ago. Whenever I visit my home country India, one common question encountered is how life is different in Canada than India. This is quite an interesting question as this was the first question that used to pop in my mind when I first moved there. And, it is equally interesting to note when my near and dear ones visit the Canada, America or Europe, what they find amazing there and what makes their tour worth visiting.

First thing, which everyone visiting a western land observes is fresh air. Though America is one of the big contributors to pollution, but thanks to its huge landscape that its pollution stands nowhere in the eyes of tourists of India. Air is so pure and blissful even a blind person can testify this. And the overall beauty of the place and cleanness complements the fresh air. Cleanness is a first big impression that every tourist from India has.

This one is a big surprise that markets and shopping malls are either totally closed or close early on weekends in western countries, which is a big contrast to India where malls and shops are open till late hours on weekends. If it is Europe, shops close after 7 on weekdays and Sunday is totally closed.

Another thing that can not go unnoticed in Europe is the ringing of Church bells after every quarter. To me, it is like music to the ear.

Another thing that amaze the most to the tourists from India is that they do not find any traffic police officer at the roads, and everyone whether car driver, bike or bicycle rider or pedestrian, almost all follow the traffic rules even when no one is observing them (Tourists do not know that citizens in western countries are well educated about traffic rules in schools as well as they know that there might be cameras and if they were captured on camera while violating any rule, they will be fined huge).

Next thing that they observe is big, luxurious cars of big brands like BMW, Lexus, Audi, and Mercedes running at high speeds, thanks to the money of taxpayers and strict tax rules as well as good governance that roads are kept pretty maintained.

This is something which really impresses many tourists from India that Train and buses run according to their timetable. When people say time is money, it is something which is truly believed and practiced in western countries.

Again, western countries are so well-planned and organized, that you can truly plan a trip reliably depending on the GPS only, which is something far from reality in India(especially in the real rural India; India has big hopes from the Digital India project). In India, not only drivers but every individual is a GPS in itself and can give you the direction. But you will be surprised to know that even bus drivers in western countries can not help you with the directions. They usually know only their bus route.

Indians always wonder during their trip to foreign countries is that why do westerners mostly wear black and white. Moreover, it amazes them the most that there is no school uniform for the students.

Indians have a common perception that western countries are always cold and it snows there all the time. So, they are always curious to know that why westerners need a refrigerator. My people from India do wonder that whether all the western nation people live in Igloos or wooden houses. And, how do western people walk or drive on snow.

In western countries, everyone has a weather forecast app on their mobile phones, which is something I never have given a thought while living in India. And, I always used to wonder in India why they do show the weather forecast. But, viewing the weather forecast before leaving the house in western countries is like reading the horoscope by Indians before leaving home.

When it comes to gifts from a western country, everyone expects Jackets. Again, girls and women in India think that all the beauty products in America, Canada or say Europe are the best in the world. Not only cosmetics but also handbags. So, the first choice of their gift from a western country is cosmetic products or a handbag. And, boys or tech geeks want electronic gadgets. Not to forget the wine bottles for adults, nobody asks but who would say no to English wine. And chocolates are obvious.

Another thing that can not go unnoticed is the different color dumpsters and recycling site, which is something which almost does not exist in India. And, people need to buy the special garbage bags to throw their garbage. And, the most interesting one is that people also have to buy the special poo packets to clean the shit of their dogs.

The things I find interesting is that I do not need to boil the milk twice a day as I do in India because of the hot weather. Tap water is so clean and fresh, so I do not need any aqua guard or RO (Reverse Osmosis) or any water filter.

Cleanness, pollution-free fresh air, well-maintained roads, beautiful cities, disciplined people, these are really good things that make a country world class. And these are the same things that cling to memories of many Indians after they return back to India from expensive, gala trips from a western land. And, these are the things that are the dreams of many common people in India to witness at least once in their life.

Textile is more than Fashion

Whenever we hear the word 'Textile', the first thing that pops up in our mind is Fashion. If you think so, you are no different. I also used to think a few years ago until I get to know my to-be-husband. He is a textile engineer and whenever we will go out shopping I would expect him to help me decide the latest fashion trend and material for my dresses. He knew many things but that information had nothing to do what he had learned in textile engineering in the university or what he does as a professional Material Scientist in a world-class research laboratory. The clothes that we wear, which we select or reject just on the basis of the looks, go through many long tedious processes before they land up in our hands. Every single piece of textile has a story associated with it.

I do not know whether it was predestined or what, but I would always ask about the textile fabric material before buying it. We see everything as a piece of cloth whether it is a bed sheet, tablecloth, towel, or shirting and suiting. I was surprised to learn that each of these cloth pieces has different fabric characteristics and mechanisms to prepare them. It is like a whole new world and involves so many different operations and research. 

I always used to question my husband what does his work as textile research involve...due to my little exposure I could not comprehend what or why is so much fuss about it. To me, clothes meant fashion, comfort, and style. All they involved was cotton, chiffon, georgette, silk or nylon or polyester, embroidery or cutwork, bandhej or rubber printing...Banarasi  or kanjivaram saree...My dear friends, each of these terms signifies a different phase of a cloth manufacturing.  Cotton, chiffon, georgette, silk or nylon or polyester are the basic fabrics with different characteristics like cotton, silk, wool are examples of natural fibers while nylon and polyester are examples of synthetic fibers. Cotton is good at absorbing water while polyester is not. Nylon is easily flammable than cotton.  This is why cotton shirts are always classic than a polyester one. 

Banarasi and Kanjivaram sarees are made up of pure silk and are weaved on hand looms. These all-time classic sarees involve not only the intricate designs and creativity of the craftsmen but the real passion and love. This is why these sarees are very expensive.

So, the research behind textiles involves how to make the table clothes or kitchen apron fire-resistant and maybe water-resistant...how to make microfiber kitchen towels good at absorbing water etc. I always felt irritated my favorite dupatta or scarf would lose color in its very first wash..now I understand the reason and science behind it.

Every cloth is not only woven or knitted, but there are also a few textiles which are non-woven. I never could understand the idea of non-wovens...they are generally used in hospitals as disposable clothes. And, females deal with non-woven every month as a sanitary pad is a classic example of non-woven. Or young mothers use the diaper for their kids or even adult diapers or napkins used for senior adults are all example of non-woven textile fabrics. 

Our textile journey does not end here only. Industrial revolution has changed the picture of the world. Special clothing are used in industry known as Personal Protective clothing (PPE) e.g. overalls used by firefighters or workers in oil refineries. What is that which allows firefighters to enter the fire to rescue the lives or stop the fire from spreading...are firefighters born with some special trait of being fire-resistant like Prahlad as we see in Indian mythological story of Holika dahan. No, it is not a magic, it is their special clothing made up of technical textiles which help the fire fighters in their heroic work while fighting fires. Have you ever wondered how mountaineers can withstand so much cold...it is because of their clothing. And, these examples signifies the importance of textile scientists who experiment and test the fabrics to make them suitable for special purposes. Following links are just a glimpse what goes behind the thermal protective clothing of a firefighter:

1 Characterization of textile fabrics under various thermal exposures

2. Thermal sensors for performance evaluation of protective clothing against heat and fire: a review 

3. Thermal Protective Clothing for Firefighters

Please leave your comments below if you would like to explore further about this topic, I would be glad to assist you.

   

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan( Swachh Bharat Mission or Clean India Mission)

(Picture Courtesy: Google Image)

In past few years, it has been a big deal in India i.e. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, a new campaign started by the honorable prime minister of India, Mr. Narender Modi. I wonder that India always takes pride in being one of the oldest civilizations in the world, then why is it that India has to start such a campaign in the 21st century. At one end, India is anticipated as the fastest growing economy and progressing fast on being the world's superpower. And, on the other hand, India does not have safe, hygienic household toilets. I believe India is one of the nations where Women are celebrated as Goddess and reality is a huge number of females in suburban and rural India have no access to a clean household toilet. No doubt, there are many ironies in India and it is the one among many.

India is not alone in overcoming this challenge. It is a global problem. Around 4.5 billion people live without access to a clean, safe private toilet and to overcome this global sanitation crisis, UN has announced November 19 as the 'World Toilet Day'.

Open Defecation is a free invitation to many big problems. It is an open invitation to many diseases like diarrhea. It questions our civilization. It hurts our self-esteem, especially of the females. It promotes the crime. Many rape or sexual-assault cases has been reported when women go for the open-defecation in the dark.

Until the start of this campaign in 2014 in India, even I was not aware of the severity of this issue. Being brought up in an urban city and always had access to a hygienic, private toilet, I have never bothered that toilet is something of global concern. Moreover, I never realized that having access to a safe, clean toilet is also a privilege. A big attempt is being made to make this campaign a huge success in India. WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, and other social media platforms are playing a great role in this regard. Even a recent Bollywood movie, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha' is another creative attempt to promote this campaign and to highlight the importance of this issue. This movie shows that why is it a big challenge to make toilets in a country like India. How deeply rooted this problem is...

Many jokes are circulating on WhatsApp that vegetables don't taste the same as they used to be because of the ban on open-defecation. Jokes apart, this is a big issue and this blog post is a small attempt to raise the awareness on this issue. Please leave in comments, your thoughts and share this post to promote awareness on this issue and contribute to making this campaign of cleanliness a global success.  

मेरी एक सहेली कुवारी रह गई

मेरी एक सहेली कुवारी रह गई, दुनिया की चकाचोंध में अंधयारी रह गई ॥

शकल -सूरत से तो ठीक थी,  टक्के-पैसे से भी रहीस थी ।
आशिक़ों की लम्बी लिस्ट थी, खुद को रखती भी एक दम फिट थी ।
एक अनसुलझी पहेली रह गई, कैसे ये सुन्दर कन्या अकेली रह गई॥

नौकरी-चाकरी तो ठीक-ठाक थी , आनसाइट जाने की भी सुनी बात थी ।
रिश्ते भी आए बहुत थे,फॉरेन में भी उसके बहुत दोस्त थे ।
मिला नहीं उसको मन का मेल , सब ही है विधाता का खेल ।
पढाई डिग्री सब धरी रह गई,कैसे ये लड़की छड़ी रह गई ॥

सबके तानों से वो घायल हो गई, चेहरे की मुस्कान भी रवाना हो गई ।
धीरे-धीरे वो मजबूरी बन गई, सब रिश्तों से उसकी दूरी बन गई ।
फेसबुक व्हाट्सप्प के सब कांटेक्ट छूट गए, सच्चे झूठे सब रिश्तें-नाते टूट गए ।
अब मिलता नहीं उसका कोई अपडेट है, लोग कहते हैं सब का अपना-अपना फेट (fate)  है  ॥
मेरी एक सहेली कुवारी रह गई, खुशियों भरे इस संसार में अधूरी रह गई, मेरी एक सहेली कुवारी रह गई ॥

फेसबुक

कौन कहता है लोग फेसबुक पर फेस दिखाते हैं, मुखौटा औड़ कर, सच-झूठ की खिचड़ी पकाते हैं

घूम-घूम कर आते हैं देश-विदेश, फोटोस  लगा-लगा कर घर में हमारे अशांति मचाते हैं

कौन कहता है लोग फेसबुक पर फेस दिखाते हैं

                                                              

बंटता है ज्ञान यहॉं हर एक पोस्ट पर, जाने कितना सच , कितना अज्ञान फैलाते हैं

कौन कहता है लोग फेसबुक पर फेस दिखाते हैं

पेरेंट्स डे, डॉटर्स डे, टीचर्स डे, ना जाने कौन-कौन से उत्सव मनाते हैं,

 घरों में झांक कर देखो तो, सब रिश्तों को तन्हा ही पाते हैं

कौन कहता है लोग फेसबुक पर फेस दिखाते हैं

जो धर्म-अधर्म की पोथी खोल कर बैठते हैं यहॉं  पर, अक्सर वही सबसे ज़्यादा अहिंसा फैलाते हैं,

कौन कहता है लोग फेसबुक फेस दिखाते हैं, मुखौटा औड़ कर सच-झूठ की खिचड़ी पकाते हैं

कौन कहता है लोग फेसबुक पर फेस दिखाते हैं

With Understanding, New Hope

If you are the regular reader of my posts, then you might have noticed about Nichiren Buddhism from Japan in my previous posts. So yesterday in the study meeting of Nichiren Buddhism, members were discussing how Governments ask first-responders like firefighters to take care of their own protection first before responding to save the lives of others. And, the discussion carried on and reach a point where a member working for the Switzerland railways shared how rail police treat the suicide cases. And, it made me think that Switzerland is considered heaven on earth, the governmental policies are so public-friendly, the unemployment rate is so low, such a beautiful, clean and green country. How a person can think of taking his/her life??? And, with such a small curiosity, I further explored the idea and came to know Switzerland is not alone, suicide is such a big problem on the global scale.

Depression is considered one of the primary reason for suicide, it takes people to the point that they think it is normal to play with their lives. That is the reason that unthinkable games like 'Blue Whale' are thriving, such games are the latest trend on Facebook and Twitter and making the headlines on major national-international newspapers. People not only play games like Blue Whale but also take it so seriously that they don't even hesitate to commit suicide. It really makes me concerned that where are we heading towards. Have we totally lost our mind???

Human Life has been considered the most precious in many Spiritual and religious texts. Human is considered the most intelligent, but now I wonder, really.....In the wave of a scientific renaissance in the 18-19th century followed with the industrial and technological revolution, people were in the impression that they are creating happiness and progress. But as time has progressed, its negative effects are being revealed. We have progressed for sure and are in the impression that conquered the time but at what cost. People have become so mechanical that emotions have taken the back seat or I may say that emotions are at the verge of extinction. That I can not assume for sure, emotions are there, but they are being negatively manifested. That is the reason so many threats and wars are happening around us. 

Buddhism is considered the religion of peace and meditation. Two important aspects of  Nichiren Buddhism are wisdom and compassion, which are based on the three pillars of faith, practice, and study. The present societal situations make me redetermine to practice this Buddhism with gratitude towards others as well as compassion. People feel left out, unwanted, emotionally and spiritually empty, sometimes religiously misguided in this fast-paced society, they feel like being treated as machine with no emotions. This lack of compassion for our fellow members, family, friends and surroundings, most importantly for ourselves has led us to the verge that so many suicides are happening. Latest statistics by the World Health Organisation and other surveys suggest that many people die because of suicide than war and accidents.   

This is an alarming time to reflect and think consciously and reconsider the soft qualities like compassion, emotions. I seriously wonder that so many scientist and technologists are focusing their efforts and time to bring emotions in the robots, this is the irony of our times.

Do leave a comment on what emotions run through you while reading this article...

साह्स

जब जुड़ी थी तुमसे, तो माना बचपना था, नादानी थी

जिंदिगी की बारीकियों से अंजानी थी

सोचा था लम्बा सफर है, सीख लूंगी सब, पर मैं भी कितनी दीवानी थी

जिंदिगी बदलती है हर पल, पर कभी न सोचा था कि तू भी बदल जायेगा,

ऐसे कैसे कोई अपना, सामने से पलट जायेगा

सोचती थी सब है आपार, हमारी खुशियां , हमारा प्यार

ऐसे कैसे सिमट गया, तेरा मेरा घर-संसार

अब जब दस्तक देता है समय दरवाज़े पर

देखती  सब और अंधकार हूं

अभी भी आवाक हूं, घबराई, सिमटी बैठी बदहवास हूं

कल तक थे जो राही एक मंज़िल के, आज कैसे गुमराह हो गए

हम-तुम ऐसे  कैसे इतने बैपरवाहा हो गए

वो लम्हे, वो साथ, वो हंसी, वो खिलखिलाट

वो बातें, वो यादें,  कब कैसे कहां विलुप्त हो गए

दम घुटने लगा है इस असमंजस मे, बिलखते-रोते सिसकने मे

हो अगर संग, तो साथ दो, नहीं तो खुले आसमानों मे उड़ने का साह्स दो