The Wedding Season Spoiler : Open Letter To Corona

Nobody ever thought that one tiny virus, not even visible from eyes will be the real-time villain for the couples waiting to get married. 

It looks like we attended a wedding function very long back. Feels like almost 1000 yr back, when the real craving for wedding fun peaks up.

Indian weddings are known for their colors, rituals, fun, dance, food, and lavish wedding decorations. For a non-Indian, it could be a gala event but we Indians don't wait for gala organizers. It's in our genes and we know how to celebrate our parties. 

Peoples from other countries get overwhelmed when they get invited to attend any of the Indian weddings of their friends or colleagues. Indian wedding will give you more or less a tour of the vast Indian culture and its a longer super fun time with families.

All buas, chachas, and mamas (Aunts & uncles within the family) are our hero wedding planners. Believe me, most of the Indian weddings are planned on their shoulders. And you won't be able to pinpoint as its a free favor.😜😂

You(corona)  failed Love Triangles

In few weddings, Even Ex-boyfriends get a chance to prove that they still love the bride until the sindoor ceremony is done. All the unnoticed wedding arrangements are done by them without letting the bride's family know about the affair.

Spy Jobs at Stake

The self-certified Spy agents in the house - Buas and Chachis (aunts within the family) lost their job. They can't live without gossips about bride or groom or the gifts and the dowry.

Irony

Look at the irony, the universe is so big that we can't find god, we may end up losing the flesh part of our weight in search of god. And the virus is so small that we can't control it, again we may end up losing the flesh part of our weight.

Highly impossible to communicate with both of them to get back our good old days.

Pressure on Mobile phones & Internet

Though I have all my sympathies with these future brides and grooms who are praying god for this pandemic to get over. So, that they can meet again! and take their relationship to the next level. 

Their emotions are at a peak. Love is overflowing in the air through the telecom antennas and Wi-Fi modems over video calls. 

From the core of my heart, we are in real emotional debt with the phone batteries, which is sacrificing its life every day, though we can charge them again. 

But we can't compensate for the emotional torture to the little machine over calls. Hats-off to the overloaded machine.

Every emotional drama and love is shared over thin copper wire & Chinese earphones and Bluetooth devices. How much pressure can be built on technologies to help its user to survive their future relationship?

COVID-19 pandemic has created tremendous pressure on technology to hold relationship goals.

Letter to Mr. Corona

Not afraid of 2020 summer but it helped in boiling up my emotions to write the hate letter to Mr. Corona!

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Not So Dear Mr. Corona,

I Am writing this letter to you with a heavy heart to inform you that we hate you! to the core. Not because you are very small but the number of losses you have created throughout the world.

You made us sick and now your presence is spoiling our fun time!

Source: Amish Thakkar@unsplash

You have almost eaten half of the wedding season this year. You have taken away some of the most beautiful and precious moments from all of us. 

We would have attended an average of around 8-10 weddings this wedding season. We missed all of them!

The Shaadi (wedding) seasons occupies a special place in every Indian's heart. We Indians are very fond of wedding gatherings, fun, and food. 

Totally missing our grandeur gatherings, all dolled up gorgeous ladies, the wining aunties whining about the type of food and decor. 

Even the paneer (cottage cheese) is cursing you for not letting it swim across the gravy with his Old School Hip-Hop Friends (peas, onions & spices).

You didn't even let the brides plan their wedding day outfit, sangeet outfit, Mehendi outfit, reception outfit, this outfit that outfit! You just spoiled every chaos of wedding fun.

Designers lost their job because they won't be able to sell the wedding outfits and now every household knows how to make a mask. 

Knowingly or unknowingly, you created a creative competition!

Days of tiresome shopping in Dilli ki galiyaan (Delhi street shopping) are gone. We really miss exploring of lehengas, Chunni, Kaleere, wedding jewelleries in Chandni Chowk.  

Every little bargain made us believe that we are good at dealing with shopkeepers and it always gave us eternal satisfaction of being a pro-shopper who can get additional discount on discounted products.

I can't even walk on the street for shopping to increase my step counts to reduce weight after eating paranthas with cheese topping on it. Losing hope on achieving before wedding goals.

Now, have to cancel beach honeymoon plans.

Oh! God!

Those were the days when brides used to give proper instructions to the grooms about their outfits and their respective wedding day styling.

We use to accept every non-sense including the embarrassing choreography sequences for sangeet, mehndi, and D-day daring performances but we can't accept you!

We do everything for our fantasy wedding. Dressing up like gods & kings & queens, dancing like Bollywood heroes & heroines. All kinds of exclusive fashion show under one roof with overloaded pan-cake makeups.

Source: Yogendra Singh@unsplash

Though you can't confirm the existence of the same person very next day without makeup. And we were OK! with that. At least we lived ages with that!

We can digest every embarrassment during the wedding- uncle fighting over paneer, aunties fighting at golgappa corner(savories stall) to add more chilies & lemon, fight with drummers, photographers, for free drinks with caterers, etc etc but never you Mr. Corona. You have to Go!

Earlier the entry of Dulahania(bride) on Din shagna De song used to be absolute bliss to watch. 

Source: Raj Rana@unsplash

Since ages, we have not heard the terms candid photos, traditional photos, cinematic weddings, drone videos. 

The Dazzler Dapper Dulha(groom) in his royal sherwani and pretty cute Dulhaniya (bride) in her Dreamy lehenga posing picture-perfect photos for the photographer & social media used to trend in every wedding. 

Every picture used to be clicked for social media profile pic updates and to pose a challenge for the bride's friends & enemies in school or college present on Facebook and Instagram. 

You restricted every engagement with future haters and competitors. We enjoy our haters too!

Now, social media is getting feeds with household frustration activities. 

I can't see men busy in washing utensils, cooking burnt food, changing diapers, and housekeeping activities. 

They should do it but as a human, we cannot ignore their exploitation.

Few made their wedding happen during the lockdown and the whole world knows it because of you Mr. corona. Being a virus, you are not allowed to make the wedding viral with masks and social distancing.

It doesn't look good at all to post wedding pics with a mask over social media. The haters can't recognize us.

You took all the warmth & fun of the wedding. Just like taking out paneer(cottage cheese) from the matar-paneer curry.

Dance and Sangeet competition between ladkewale(grooms family) and ladkiwale (brides family) used to be super fun.

How beautifully those lovely brides use to instruct their grooms about the amount of ransom to be given to her sisters during juta churai rasm( groom's shoe hiding ritual). It's the only socially legal theft in Indian culture.

The bargaining of the amount between groom and bride's sisters for the shoe used to be a treat to watch. It's never less than a trade deal between China & the USA.

Din shagna da, Lambhorghini chalai Janaeyo, Mainu lehenga songs use to be on the top playlist of every bride's wedding. 

The super competitive Nagin dance is done by baraatis (groom's wedding procession) is ultimate to watch, its kind of friendly alarm to groom before the wedding. Still love wins and they intentionally get married.

'Ye desh hai veer jawano ka' song is an all-time favorite to boost up the groom's moral before the wedding to give him a dose of the adrenalin rush. It reduces the groom's confusion and doubts over marriage and let him feel like a titan warrior.

Now, the above playlist has been replaced by Go! Corona Go! and Corona Bhag Ja Rey and many more over the youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

It's disgusting to watch a Virus getting 'viral' over the internet.

Golgappa, chaat(Savories), chowmein (noodles), ice-cream stalls are majorly getting missed these days. Mr. Corona, you saved your life by just not being visible to all the women of India.

Panditjis (priests) from both sides use to fight over their regional rituals and customs during wedding rituals and pronunciations of Mantras during the ceremony.

Though most people don't understand what they are saying until translated. 

Still, we have been digesting since inception but how come you came in between Mr. Corona to spoil everything?

You must pack your bags and go straight away from where you came! We don't need you! 

You took away the dream of every bride to become a football player, maybe in the future, before the practice shot of shooting the 'Kalash' at the doorstep.

You took every chance of Ruthe Huye Phupha Ji to get offended at every ritual and the ceremony. You are not even letting someone get offended, still, offending him.

Only frustrations! and No regards for you! Just get lost!

Your's True Haters

Waiting couples

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It's the reality that coronavirus has spoiled everything. It didn't even let the memories to become a memory. Damn! frustrating.

Author-Neelam Mishra (LLB & P.G. in Economics)

Talented writer with analytical excellence. She is a great thinker who knows how to pen down ideas, thoughts and humour to share with the world. 

Problem & Solution: India's Struggling Fashion Industry

The fashion industry around the world has got a negative impact due to coronavirus. The pandemic has forced to shut down every design house locally or globally for more than 60 days. April was the worst-hit month and so will be May and coming months until the world gets the vaccine for it.

Workers in Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, and many other countries getting severely affected. Most of the garment workers lost their job because of shut down. Production companies are in huge debt as they start producing the goods with mere advance payment.

Also because the brands around the world are facing huge de-growth in sales due to lockdown resulting in the cancellation of orders. 

One of the exporters from Bangladesh was requesting the concerned brand on linkedin to release the payment as he is unable to afford the livelihood of around 2500 workers in his company. He mentioned that he tried to help 2500 workers during lockdown by paying salaries for March and April month but he can't afford it further if he doesn't get paid from the brand for the produced goods ready for shipment.

After earning a multifold profit on a single unit of fashion & accessories product, how brands are acting insensitively during the pandemic? 

Similarly many Indian exporters and domestic suppliers are facing the same situation across the country where they have to beg for the payments. Despite so many clauses written in brand-exporter agreements, brands are denying to help. 

Apparel, textile and yarn exporters got worst hit in March, April and May due to negligible demand from importing countries.

In recent years, Indian fashion export dropped due to heavy competition from third world countries and due to poor unsupportive export policies if compared to China and Bangladesh. China's free trade zone and trade-friendly policies still holding its top position in apparel exporting countries.

China has huge apparel market in Beijing, Guangzhou and factories in other province to supply huge global demand bringing billions of foreign currency to its country.

If compared to Bangladesh, who has been the second largest producer of ready-made garments after China, contributing around 20% to the national GDP whereas Indian RMG sector (ready-made Garment) is contributing merely 2% to it's national GDP.

Domestic brands and companies are struggling for sales due to complete lockdown. Job loss and salary pay cut resulted in less money in pocket to buy anything else than food.

Whooping 20 lakh crore package announced by the government of India will help the industries or not, that's a matter of question. As the money is announced for the industry which is struggling for their product demand. What they will do with the money if the product is not in demand.

Based on current situation, country should focus on organised future investment. Package should be versatile in serving second largest population of the world with huge domestic demand.

Possible solution to solve the problem of Indian Fashion Industry-

1. Allotting Free Trade Zone state wise with relaxed trade policies and tax benefits for Garment Sector near with in 30-50 km range of airports.
2. Government subsidies & investment in machinery & infrastructure for companies in the free trade zone on an App-based System instead of running behind bureaucracy for every signature.
3. Identifying potential yarn, textile, and apparel producers and systematically setting up sectors in the free trade zone.
4. Special Research Centres to continuously update the industry with technical knowledge and global competitions to make it a world-class apparel hub state wise.                                                                                                                                                                 
5. Exclusive All India Cargo Transport Permit for the companies in the Free Trade Zone to speed up cargo movement and thus improving the global supply chain.
6. Building infrastructure for Fashion & Apparel trade shows & Infrastructure for Fashion Shows for fashion students in the Free Trade Zone.
7. Government-funded schools, colleges, and hospitals for the worker's children working in companies of Free Trade Zone, like central schools and army schools across the country. This will reduce liabilities on workers and it will benefit companies to manage wages.
8. Special subsidies & loan facility to Indian retailers anywhere in the country for promoting goods from Free Trade Zone companies.
9. Incubation program for designers and entrepreneurs.
10. Special marketing team to create and supply global and domestic demand.

The above suggestion has the potential of creating a million jobs in the future.

The country requires special attention to the apparel sector as it has the potential to drive the economy. The apparel sector is the 2nd largest employer but the contribution to the GDP is very less.

India has every possible resource to compete with the rest of the world. It just needs better long term plans and goals to work on to build future of its Fashion Industry. 

China is good at investment to build its future as its well said - 

"Only money Can Earn More Money."

The package announced should be more focused on long term plans and investments for providing infrastructure to support the companies to grow. To enable them to match the speed of the global supply chain with the competitive products.

Misuse of government funds and bankruptcy declaration or loss declaration are few easy escapes. 

Investment by the government must have plans for its recovery otherwise it will derail the vision of the country with the huge loss of taxpayer's money.

Author- Pramod Kumar

How To Reactivate Our Happy Hormones Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic

As the whole world is toppled over by global pandemic COVID-19, the situation is distressful and gloomy all around the world. The whole world is under lockdown and few countries are trying to restart their economies by lifting up the lockdown. 

The COVID-19 has forced us to remain locked under the door. Self- quarantine, social-distancing, stay at home are some of the precautionary measures adopted to fight against this deadly virus. 

Quarantine is the new word trending around, originated from the Italian word "Quarantine Giorini " which means 40 days. 

As people tend to be locked in their rooms maintaining social distancing, physically cut-off from the world. They are prone to stress, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and other mental health issues. This lockdown is taking a toll on mental health. 

This corona crisis is throwing every day new challenges to us. Now, on one side it is mandatory to live in quarantine to keep us safe against this deadly disease, and on the other hand challenge as to how to keep ourselves anxiety and stress-free. 

 So, the real task is to remain happy and healthy while closed at hour houses. 

Here are some of the tips which you can adopt in your daily lifestyle and combat the mental health issues arising out of global pandemic COVID-19.

1)- Plank, Squats, and Crunches -

Adopt exercise as your daily routine. Regular workout helps in building your immune system stronger and at the same time helps you in keeping fit. It has an added advantage ie. When your body is in great shape it is going to give you self confidence & motivation. 

So, use this time of quarantine constructively by taking care of your body. 

Workout improves the blood flow to every organ of your body. It also keep hormonal balance  of your body.

You can do planks, squats, and crunches daily for 15 minutes and you are sorted. Surprise your loved ones after when you meet after quarantine.

2)- Tranquility and immunity go hand in hand -

Vitamin C a day keeps the stress away! 

Add vitamin C enriched fruit in your daily diet. Vitamin C is a natural tranquiliser, which helps in keeping our mind calm and stress-free. It contains antioxidants and enhances the immune system of the body. It is a good stress buster. 

The other benefit of vitamin C is that it helps in keeping your skin healthy. It also helps in building collagen which helps in the tightening of the skin and hence helps in the youthful appearance of the skin. 

Grapes, guava, kiwi, tomato, capsicum, etc are some of the fruits enriched in vitamin C. So be youthful and be happy! 

3)- Awaken your culinary art - 

Since restaurants are closed during this lockdown, why not to inspire your inner chef to try hands on some of the amazing recipes. Cooking with your loved ones for your loved ones will give you inner joy and your taste buds will be obliged for your kindness. As saying goes, Good food is a good mood!

4)- Log out, shut Down, Do yoga -

  

Yes! Yoga helps in relaxing our mind. It brings peace & calmness to our mind and reduces stress and anxiety. Yoga helps in liberating from the mental sufferings. 

 “Yoga is the golden key that unlocks the door to peace, tranquility, and joy.”

-B.K.S. Iyengar

 

"All kidding aside, if everyone did yoga, we would have world Peace ".

-Rory Freedman 

5) Tap your feet on your favourite music -

Dance and music are a fun way to ease your mind and to be happy. It not only brings joy but also helps in releasing stress. It uplifts the soul and rejuvenates the body. So what are you waiting for? Go and dance your heart out! 

Music and dance are the real stress buster.

"Imagine that every cell in your body is smiling and radiating happiness. Visualise yourself dancing with joy and running around the room." 

-Matt Decker

Utilise this quarantine constructively to make some of the happy memories with your 

family. And reactivate your happy hormones during the quarantine period.

Author-Neelam Mishra (LLB & P.G. in Economics)

Talented writer with analytical excellence. She is a great thinker who knows how to pen down ideas and thoughts to share with the world.