CARDS to CARE @ CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas cards colloquially known as 'holiday cards' are primarily greeting cards, exchanged during the preceding weeks of Christmas, by people not necessarily Christians.      
Now when you think of wishing someone "Merry Christmas!" through such cards and visit a card shop, no wonder you shed a big rupee note for buying it.   Asking about me, it turns out expensive and I come back, either without buying it or I decide not to visit my favourite, tennage memory-filled gift shop ever again to buy cards. Most of my friends would agree as they share similar experiences.
                                                                                                                                  
When today, cards are been commercially sold at such huge prices, here we have a bunch of few cards which costs almost one-fourth of their commercial counterparts.Cost that is even less than your daily auto or rickshaw fare.

       

A Kolkata based NGO once started a Card Project to cater the drop outs from corporation schools as they wanted to earn. The project trained them in designing, printing and packaging just to make them economically independent and now they in return train such techniques to children of other NGOs. The fund collected from the sale of these cards are used to enable the street children to reach their full potential through education, vocational training and extra curricular activities. Portion of fund is also spent for the all- round development of the marginalised families, especially children and youth, reaching about 1519 children from 10 districts of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh.   

 

BIBIDHA, a Kolkata based art shop, since 2005 have collaborated with the NGO to market these cards along with their own line of products.                                                                         

Christmas and charity goes hand in hand, but here I beg to say, that there is no "Charity" tag attached, if any of you think that buying these cards will earn you brownie points as you are engaging in charity you are heavily mistaken dear, as these artists are here to sell their art to you. Its our honour that we are able to get them @ such reasonable prices. 

                                                            I, on behalf of BIBIDHA request you to add these cards to this year's celebration. Don't you think it's the finest way to express your feelings while you enjoy with your dear ones?!আর এটা  তাকে দিলে, হাসি মুখ তো  তুমি তারই দেখবে না, যাকে  কার্ডটা  দিচ্ছো তার সাথে সাথে আরো একজন, তোমার থেকে অনেক অনেক দূরে, এই শীতের  দিনে কোনো এক গ্রামে, হাসি মুখে তোমার  জন্য দুয়া  করবে, করবেই করবে দেখো!!!!!!! আর এটাই হবে তোমার কাছে সবচেয়ে সুন্দর Christmas gift. Caring for them would cost you Rs. 12 and in return they'll give you love in plenty, which is invaluable.Come make this Christmas a special one, buy a card and earn happiness.So why wait? 

WHY DANCE????!!!!!!!

With the world getting smaller and smaller day by day, we are exposed to a lot of performing arts and I bet dance being one of the most popular among them.

Dance popular among all ages

  So before we take a step forward to put on our dancing shoes, let’s ask this candid question to ourselves-           Why dance? Why should we dance?

              A medical practitioner would stress more on a physical level connecting it to Health and Healing. Considering it as a great mind-body work out, it helps people of all ages to get and stay in shape, losing 150 calories with just 30 minutes of moderate dancing. Strengthening bones and muscles, toning the body, improving posture and balance, increasing stamina and flexibility, warding off diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and osteoporosis and sometimes even AIDS and Cancer-are all the physical benefits ‘’dance’’ can do to you. 

Dance improves posture and balance

What does a psychologist have to say about it? In one word dancing reduces stress and tension, two of our biggest enemies and keeps depression at a bay. It evokes joy, secreting ‘’happy’’ hormones, relaxes the body, integrates feelings and emotions, enhances body image, self-confidence and self-esteem, releases old patterns, habits and beliefs and facilitates spiritual awakening. 

Dance facilitates spiritual awakening

But keeping theories aside, why do we dance? To some dancing is magical and transforming, to some it breathes new life to a tired soul, to some it unites generations and cultures, to many societies it inspires new romances and rekindles old ones.  

To some it breathes new life to a tired soul  

Dance is not only an inherent quality to humans but also to the Nature and the Cosmos. From the very creation of the Earth, the little flowers bloomed, the butterflies fluttered, the Bumblebees sang, the Budgerigars swung and the birds flew in the backdrop of the blue Sky. So every child waves its hand gleefully when in joy and every adult jumps when excited, all ‘’dancing’’ in their own way.

Children wave hands gleefully imitating the blooming flowers

         We dance to know ourselves, our World, our Nature better so that we are connected to all.With life becoming more complicated with increasing responsibilities and commitments, just pamper yourself with DANCE. Don’t just step in to be a part of this very ‘’popular’’ medium, love it passionately before the music starts. 

  

PET CLUB!

"Pet Club!!! What is that?!"                                                                                                                         "A Pet Library!! A place from where you can bring a pet and keep it for a month. All you need to do is to observe, care and nurture it and after a month's end return it to the Club. Just like the way you return your books in a library, here, while returning you get another pet and continue doing the same for the coming month."                                                                                                                                                       "Wow!!!!" This was my reaction, when Mihirmama said this.                                                                         Tickled with the desire to be with the pets, I started trying hard to convince my parents, in this case Ma. 

"আমার  Barbie চাই  না!!!!" I said.                                                                                                           

 I was only nine then. 

It was on 5th of June 1988, World Environment Day, that one of our city"s most esteemed institutes BITM (Birla Industrial and Technological Museum) launched the First Pet Club of Asia. I along with my family was present at it's inception.                                                         

I believe, I hardly understood what Pet expert Samar Bagchi said in his introductory speech; but I was filled with twinkling dreams to share my space with a whole lots of friends- the Pets. 

But Ma, unlike other situations, went on turning a deaf ear to all the pestering....... "আমি হই  না ! আমি হবো ?!! কি?!!! আমি হবো  তো member??!!!"........                                                             

 It was actually Baba who showed interest and it was for him I stood in the waiting area along with others, longing to take back a pet home! 

Children gathered to take pets home!!!

But Alas!!!!! When my turn came to fetch a pet, I came to know that all the pets have had already been distributed! My desire to be with them, my dream of sharing my space with them, was shattered! But as many believe, 'If you want something badly, the world will conspire for you!!!!' It came to be true this time. How?! I seriously don't know!! May be my earnest desire and dream directed destiny in my favour.  

Just like a film, when a sad me, almost in a slow motion was about to return home, disheartened, my father came rushing, the forms had to be filled! And all of a sudden I became a member of Asia's First Pet Club. That day I happily returned home, with my all time favourite pet- a rabbit. 

Happily returning home with Pets

In the next three to four years, I came back home with good marks in my observation sheet along with immense appreciation for handling pets and caring them so meticulously. I was endowed with certificates, won prizes in competitions based on Nature, Environment and Pets. but I can never forget the day when a little me, came back home with the recognition of being the First Existing Pet Club Member of Asia by the Limca Book Of Records. 

Thank You Destiny to be with me, that time!!!! 

My scrap book tells that my 'adventure' with pets had begun with Pet Club, and truly it was not a petty one!!!!!