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Happiness, the word carries more weight than iron bars, is more treasured than any other asset locked in your safe, and of course the most wanted, even more than Gerard Butler! This makes all the more reason why people have their own sweet ways of acquiring and spending it moderately. But there are some who believe in the funda of lavish sharing of the word, for they have witnessed that it yields more dividends than any ‘share’. This Diwali too some of these people, and we call them actors, share how they would be spreading happiness... Good deeds
Aarya Babbar, actor Spreading happiness
Roshni Chopra, TV actor Family man
Celebrating any festival without your family is not a nice feeling, but given the kind of work we have sometimes it is next to impossible to even pull out a day from the working schedule. Ideally, my Diwali is incomplete if I don’t celebrate it with my family back home in Meerut. At the same time, I am not going to brood over it. So, I devised a way to increase my joy, which I tried last year as well. I have an orphanage right next to where I live in Oshiwara. I was surprised how I could express and share my joy with kids that I don’t know. The feeling cannot be described in words. I do miss being with my family still. I see them smile, cheer and dance when they see me, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that it just feels so great from the inside. Parvesh Rana, actor Time for change
Ishita, winner of Desi Girl For kids
Jasbir Jassi, singer |
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In the LIGHTer vein
Every year— every year, the festival comes, remains for a day, lasts an evening, stretches up to late night and vanishes just like the flames of burst crackers. If only you could wallow in the festivity in the air, without getting all worked up. Minus the concern, the chores, the chaos…If you’re the sorts that fail to get what the fuss is all about, here are five off-track ways to celebrate the festive day. First things first. If you hate the gift-exchanging marathon that the day is associated with, crib about half the holiday spent in returning and receiving colourful packets that hardly have anything exciting in them, time to start the change. Enjoy the gifts, don’t return the gesture! Chances are you won’t receive anything next year, but who cares, saves so much trouble. Fine, there’s a festivity in the air, homecoming as a tradition is most welcome too and you are all excited about the history and glory of Festival of Lights. But is leaving tonnes of carbon footprints the only way to go about it? What with bursting crackers and all the mindless competition with the neighbours? Put on some surround audio system with din of crackers exploding at high speed on repeat mode. Saves so much trouble, while the neighbours keep wondering which ground did the noise come from? This one’s for the lazy bones. Who wouldn’t get swallowed in the rigmarole of formalities and responsibilities surrounding Diwali? For most, it’s one of the few holidays in a year. Sit back and relax; for a change, enjoy the day, the Caribbean holiday way. Pretend to have blackout over responsibilities, relatives to visit, annual niceties, neighbours, blah blah… Don’t forget to smirk over others getting all worked up and mad in the maddening rush, traffic snarls certainly included! Those who want to break free from the pre-planned PR that goes on into the festival…and then the tripping trail of relatives that show up only once a year and all the artificial sugary greetings…and then the suffocating overdose of nauseatingly colourful sweets…need we say more? Rather than going about the town to see how the world celebrates Diwali and risking being close to some crackers that almost compete RDX, believe in stay at home revelry. In any case, having a picture in the papers next day with one eye closed is not exactly you’re idea of being famous! Homecoming calls for home staying. As for the rest, the tradition continues, so do the hackneyed ways of going on about it, God bless the maddening crowd! manpriya@tribunemail.com
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Flower power
It's the day of grandeur, lights and gaiety! It's Diwali folks. And if you have run out of gifts or are tired of gifting run-of-the-mill kinds, go floral this festive season by gifting fresh flowers. And putting their best petal forward we have a riot of colours peeping out of the baskets in every nook and corner of the markets across the city. Spilling out in a profusion of blushes, the flower bazaar is quite alive with kinds to die for. From roses, to orchids, jasmine, oriental lilies, gladioli to dhalia and marigold there is a bouquet waiting to be delivered. "The demand is rising steadily each year," says Ranjeet, a flower boy who has exhibited some fresh flower bouquets in Sector 35 market. Ask him if people buy flowers during Diwali and he says, "Yes they do, and apart from the flowers for puja and decoration of home, people do say Happy Diwali with flowers." And with exotic, dazzling and beautiful varieties on display, you are definitely spoilt for a choice. Because flowers are not the only option, you can also gift plants, shrubs or then bulbs and seeds to add coulour to the festivities. Hub of Flowers-34 has a wide variety. With most striking bunch of flowers, here you can pick flowers stick wise or make a bouquet of your choice. Starting from Rs 50 onwards for a bunch, a stick of pink chrysanthemum would cost you Rs 15, gerberas for Rs 15, oriental lilies for Rs 75 and a rose stick for Rs 10. Seasons greetings, conveyed sweetly with flowers surely brings a smile on the face. With an array of beautifully bucketed flowers in Sector 34 market, Ravi a flower boy says, "The trend of sending flowers especially on Diwali is definitely in." He adds, "Marigolds are sold the most on Diwali as they are used for home decoration. Other than that there is a demand for gladoli, roses, carnations, orchids and lilies." Costing mush less than a crockery set, bedsheets or calorie- loaded mithai ka dabba, fresh flowers delight hearts and send a message of love in a colourful way. jigyasachimra@tribunemail.com
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A Chinese dawn
Say Chinese, and the first thing that comes to mind is stir- fried noodles, manchurian and fried rice. Having made Chinese cuisine as important to our palette as dal and roti, we must say Chinese have done a wonderful job in marketing their food across the world. And going a step further is Hometel (a hotel in Industrial Area, Chandigarh) who kick started their Chinese Food Festival on Diwali. Says Gagan Arora, sales manager of the Hotel, "It's too much of sweets on this day, so we thought of including something salty and much-liked on an auspicious day of Diwali." A thought that goes beyond festivities, this 10-day food festival will whet your appetite with some authentic Chinese dishes as the dishes prepared come from a chef who is a Chinese national. Huang Te Sing, executive chef from Hotel Marine Plaza, Mumbai, has specially come for the festival. Ask him what is cooking in his wok and he says, "For this food festival I have Mongolian chicken, fish in chilly oyster sauce, kungpao lamb, roast Cantonese chicken, oriental delight vegetables, Pecking fish, oriental veggies, Shanghai noodles, chicken in chilly garlic soya sauce and of course, fried rice and much-loved Manchurain." With 15 years of experience, he erases some of our doubts regarding the use of ajinomoto, which is an integral part of Chinese cooking. "It's not all that harmful as one makes it out to be. But yes, one should avoid it. The use of garlic and ginger along with salt gives a perfect flavour to a Chinese dish, but a pinch of ajinomoto doesn't make a difference." Well, if you get tired of eating sweets you can very well visit the restaurant Flavours at Hometel.
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Fit is
the word
There's a nip in the air and you tend to tuck your nose a little deeper into your sheet. But there's something you might be missing in the festival season. Our city gyms are raining discounts and before it gets too late, it's the time to hit one. This will not only help you fight the cold better, but also keep you away from all the allergies of the changing season. If experts are to be believed, regular gym-goers never fall prey to viral infections. And what better time to burn those extra calories during this festival season! The idea is not to eat less, but exercise more.
The handsome men and their mean machines have arrived in the city. And they are here to cajole you, pamper you, tone you like never before. Their mission is to promote fitness as a lifestyle, rather than a one-time pursuit. Starting from Rs 1,000 per month, city gyms are offering much more than a dreary session on the treadmill. The yoga classes, aerobics, dances, weight training, body sculpting to the tune of peppy numbers, and finally a refreshing spa, really makes your visit to a gym worthwhile, no matter what your age. Then there are licensed physiotherapists and good dieticians under the same roof to guide you towards an accurate workout. All these facilities at a healthy discount are definitely worth a steal. Vikas Sharma is a suave, well-spoken physical trainer, who has come all the way from Rajasthan and made Chandigarh his home. Heading a team of trainers at Air Fitness and Spa, Sector 8, he connects very well with the elite crowd. Several senior doctors are addicted to his fitness regime. Says Manbir Malhan, the owner of Air Fitness, "Air is north India's first oxy-bath fitness centre, where it has the 'oxygen chamber' to help anyone getting breathless on to the floor. They are running an attractive scheme of paying for two members, and getting two additional members free of cost. They are basically encouraging the whole family to spend some quality together." Aina, guest relation executive at Bodyzone, Sector 9 adds, "We provide facilities like body fat analysis, body measurement, physiotherapy consultation and other group activities." They have reduced their annual fee by Rs 6,000 for men and by Rs 5,000 for women for this festive season. Besides, they are holding dance classes, especially for children, to inculcate the idea of fitness right from the early years. With limited seats, costing Rs 7,000 for three months, these classes look promising. "No pain, no gain" says Jeetender Singh Deol, a physical trainer from the city. He adds, "Besides the technique, it is the application of the mind on a particular exercise that brings excellent results. It is a serious business where you learn to respect your body and its well being." Planet Fitness, Sector 8, provides the luxury of a separate section for men and women. Meenakshi, the manager, says they are offering a good discount this festival season. For a couple, the fee is Rs 50,000 per annum for a limited period. It is indeed a congenial time to take stock of all the sops being doled out by these fitness centres. |
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Dream Tee-m Irina Brar has met her match. Yes this queen of the greens from Chandigarh who reigned the national women's amateur golf circuit for several years will tie the marital knot with Sujjan Singh, a professional golfer from the city, ranked 13th on the Professional Golf Tour of India merit list, on November 6. A topper in studies throughout, Irina participated in major championships abroad, including the Queen Sirikit Cup four times. She was the undisputed national amateur queen before turning professional. She even dabbled in modelling in 2003 when, still in her teens, she wore the world's most expensive tie---a diamond-studded purple tie worth Rs 1 crore. This tie was worn by Salman Khan and Mahima Chaudhary in Mumbai and by Miss Asia Pacific Shonal Rawat in Delhi. Irina, who had to say goodbye to her first love, golf, because of a nagging pain in her lower back, is just back from the US after completing her Masters in sports psychology from the Phoenix university. While Irina is a born golfer, Sujjan Singh took to the greens at 21 after dabbling in squash and football throughout his teens. An alumni of the Bishop Cotton School, Sujjan Singh is a part-time percussionist in fellow golf pro Gurbaaz Maan's 'Driving Iron' ensemble. The two got engaged in January when Irina had come for her Xmas vacations in December last year. The engagement brought immediate luck to Sujjan Singh who notched his first win on the PGTI circuit to occupy the top slot in the national pro rankings. In Sujjan Singh's words: "Irina is a fantastic influence. Having been the top lady amateur golfer of the country her input is always welcome. She is very helpful and very supportive." Jeev Milkha Singh has been a guiding force for this Virgo golfer who turned 30 on September 12. He is also all praise for National Golf Academy of India director Jesse Grewal, who has moulded his game in such a short time. A delighted Madhu Brar, Irina's mother, said Jeev Milkha Singh, highest placed Indian on the world golf rankings, is already in Chandigarh for the wedding which will be held at Whispering Willows in Zirakpur on November 6.
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I look at festivals as an occasion to be with family and friends. Otherwise, how often do we have time for our near and dear ones? I discovered only lately that happiness is not confined to a set of people; it can be felt with faces in the crowd as well. Last Rakhi I visited the ‘redlight area’ in Mumbai, where the girls tied Rakhi to me. And if you want me to describe the look on their faces, well, words don’t come easy then! This time, I will be visiting them again, taking some gifts and goodies for their kids. And I am not saying just for the sake of it. I have discovered the meaning of giving. This practise, however, is not going to be restricted to some festivals; this will be something I wish to keep doing in all my capacity.
We don’t need an occasion to do an act of goodness. But yes, festivals like Diwali are a time of thanks giving and trust me there are not enough ways of doing it. So, every Diwali, I try and do my bit by feeding beggars and homeless kids. The idea is to double the joy, which increases my giving. I do it on all festivals. Talking about it I realised ‘giving happiness’ is not something that requires a special day; it is something we can do each day. 
I think charity begins at home, and this Diwali I will try and change my attitude towards people. I would try to acknowledge and respect people, ones that I know and take for granted, and others that I don’t know. It is easy to give money in charity or talk about different ways of doing it. But without a change in my own self and the way I look at things, I don’t think I can make any difference in the lives of others. So, this Diwali I would change myself! 
I don’t celebrate Diwali in a grand way. On this occasion though I like to visit an orphanage and sing songs for the kids. This is something I am doing for a long time now. I love to sing for them and see them cheer me up. They make the day special for me, and the fact that they enjoy with their heart, keeping nothing to themselves, gives me more pleasure.