"Silence is golden until you have kids but silence after having kids is suspicious."

Once you sign on to be a mom, 24/7 is the only shift they offer. Yes, indeed! 

It's Mother's Day eve, and as the lil' one is gearing up to unfold the surprises to make me feel special, the conversation starts...

Liz: Moma, what's the biggest adventure of your life?

Me: Carrying you in my tummy, and moving around effortlessly for 9 months.

Liz: Seriously, I thought a stork picked me from the heaven and left me at your doorstep.

Me: I wish that was true, it would have at least saved me from the stretch marks which I wear as a badge of honour and achievement!😉

Me, with my lil' angel 😇

Nature has bestowed a woman with one of the most precious gifts - the gift of being a mother. The experience is surreal! However, every woman is different, and it's often best to let her make her choices, and break the age old stereotype while embracing motherhood without being judgmental. 

Let her decide whether to embrace motherhood or not to.

Whether to have one child or more.  

Whether to give birth, and raise the baby or place the baby for adoption. 

Whether to embrace motherhood by conceiving or through adoption. In many cases, the later is the only option one is left with.

Whether to embrace motherhood through self conception or surrogacy. 

Whether to freeze the eggs for latter use as she focusses on her career or not to freeze.

Whether to opt for  the donor insemination or to be a single mom.

Whether to be a pet mom or to nurture a human cub.

And, lastly let her decide if she wants to continue with the pregnancy or abort it for the betterment of her mental and physical health or the impending financial matters, because nothing is more important than the well-being of a mother to nurture a healthy baby.

Pregnancy is a process, it shall pass, and so shall the postpartum phase. However, motherhood is a journey, it shall continue. 

Finally, after being a Mother, let her decide if she wants to raise the child, by being a badass mom or an easy going mom, because motherhood doesn't come with an operating manual. Its a natural instinct to protect your offspring and to provide them with the best things in life!

Here's wishing all the moms a very Happy Mother's Day! 😊

"We don't own the planet earth, we belong to it. And we must share it with our wildlife." - Steve Irwin 

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened, and living in cities better known as concrete jungles, sighting a wildlife in their natural habitat is indeed a treat for the eyes! Over the years, wildlife sanctuaries have played a vital role in conserving all such endangered species. One such sanctuary that has been a home to various species of deer is the Deer Park in Silvassa. Lion safari is adjacent to the deer park but is separated by a few meters, and has a separate entry. This Deer Park along with the Lion Safari makes an ideal picnic spot with kids on the way to Daman and Diu. We visited this park on our way to Deltin in Daman in early June - just before the rains.

Location:

It is officially known as Satmaliya Deer Park and lies on the Khanvel road in Silvassa - the capital of the union territory, Dadra & Nagar Haveli. It is between Maharashtra and Gujarat and is about 4 hours drive from Mumbai (152 km). 

Tickets: 

For the Deer Park, the tickets are just Rs. 25 per adult and Rs. 10 for a child below 12 years. The Lion safari also charges the same.

Sighting: 

Upon taking a ticket, you are allowed to enter inside. Once inside, you can wait for the van to arrive and to take you around. The van usually comes in about 20-30 minutes after every round. The park is home to Sambhar, Chinkara, Blackbucks, spotted deer and antelopes. All these species can be easily spotted from the van as they are large in number. Van usually stops for a while for the tourist to capture good shots but they are not allowed to step out of the bus due to safety reasons. 

Many dug outs are being built inside the park, where the park volunteers go and dump food for the animals. Inside the park, there are mud trails where tourists can watch varieties of deer roaming around. Earlier, visitors could take their own car inside the park for a personal tour, but now this has been stopped to  reduce sound and noise pollution. There are government owned Gypsy Vans, which can be availed for a thirty minutes park tour. 

During holidays and weekends, try to visit early in the morning, else one might have to wait in a long queue. Moreover, one should remember that the Deer Park admits only a limited number of tourists every day. Hence, the ticket counter can refuse to give tickets if deemed required, much to anybody’s disappointment.

A little ahead of the Deer park is the Vasona Lion Safari. Unfortunately, the park is house to only one mighty Lion, and if you get lucky, you maybe able to spot it! But you may get lucky to sight different kind of birds such as Peacocks, Thrushes, Flameback Woodpecker and many more. 

The Mighty King of the Jungle

Best Time to Visit:

The park is open from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. The best time to visit is from November to early June as rainy season is not ideal for the vans to go inside due to marshy trails. There is no online ticket booking system yet and hence, buying over the counter is the only option.

Wilderness without wildlife is just a scenery. So, love, conserve and take your children on wildlife safaris before the species become extinct.

 "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." - by Oprah

Birthdays are often a reminder to celebrate your life and be thankful for every single blessing that has come your way. Its indeed a blessing to have people in life who are more excited about your special day than you are and put their heart and soul in planning things to surprise you😇.

For me, birthdays have always been a personal celebration with family👪. This year, to ring in my 36th, the man of the house and the lil' one disguised me all the way on a road trip till I spotted a hoarding that read as 'welcome to Radisson Blu in Karjat'. Voila! Just a perfect birthday weekend getaway, away from the daily hustle and bustle.  I just needed this to dive into the next year of my life!😉

Radisson Blu's Picturesque Property in Karjat

Getting There:

Karjat is on the outskirts of Mumbai and is surrounded by the picturesque Sahyadri's and is often a visual treat during the monsoons as its covered with scenic lush greenery. It is approximately 2 hours (approx. 63 kms) drive from Mumbai that makes it an ideal getaway from Mumbai. The final destination - Radisson Blu in Karjat is approx. 69 km from Mumbai.

5 Things to do in Radisson Blu in Karjat:

1. Chilling by the Pool: Just chill by the pool overlooking the beautiful mountains - it feels heavenly!  The ideal time for a swim is after 4:00 ish when the sun is about to set and the water is slightly warm.

The monsoon weather was an icing on the cake

2. Massage Therapy at Tattva Spa: Massages have always worked as a relaxing therapy for me. And there couldn't have been a better gift than a  Swedish massage to unwind and rejuvenate. The huge Buddha statue in the lobby made the  ambience quite relaxing. The spa area was well sanitized and my masseuse was well experienced, courteous and polite. Yes, I did remember Phoebe from F.R.I.E.N.D.S 😀.

The Buddha Statue in a Relaxing Pose

The Spa Reception Area

3. Rekindle the Child in you at the Game Zone: The game zone is at the back side of the resort and you can be dropped there by the staff through a buggy. Its a big game zone having a variety of games including a huge trampoline. The main game zone has bowling, foosball, air hockey and arcade games. It also has a separate kids zone.

In the game zone

4. Play Outdoor Games in the Lawn: The wide expanse makes it an ideal place for playing any outdoor games with your loved ones. 

The view from the window

5. Just Soak in the Picturesque Surrounding: The property is huge and every corner is vibrant, scenic and picturesque. Just soak in the moment and capture some good clicks to help you to take a walk down the memory lane.

Some clicks to walk down the memory lane

A glimpse of the wide spread

That's the birthday girl signing off with a bag full of sweet memories😇💜

"Motherhood is an integral part of a woman's life but  her identity is much beyond being a mother."

It's 11:00 pm and as I had a long day, I'm about to call it a day but the lil' one insists on some baby and moma time with deep conversation.

My 7 year old: Momma, what's the biggest adventure of your life?

Me: Carrying you in my tummy and moving around effortlessly for 9 months.

My 7 year old: Seriously? I thought a stork picked me from heaven and left me at your doorstep.

Me: Wondering if that could have been true or just like surrogacy, if we could have contemplated on baking our bun in someone's oven. But we were too young and naïve then to even think about it back in 2014. 😃 

Motherhood is the most precious gift the universe has bestowed upon a woman. Creating a miniature inside you is nothing less than a miracle. Although many women don't get to experience this phase directly, surrogacy has proved to be a boon for them! 

What is Surrogacy?

Infertility is an issue creeping into the modern society. But surrogacy gives a ray of hope to couples battling infertility. Surrogacy is a legal arrangement where a  woman (a surrogate mother) agrees to carry a baby in her womb belonging to another person/people (couple) who will become legal parents of the child after the birth of the child. The surrogate is compensated as per the agreement for renting her womb. Long story short - surrogacy is like you baking your bun in a rented oven. Period!

Representative Image: Pexels

Types of Surrogacy:

Traditional Surrogate: One where a surrogate gets inseminated by the sperms of the prospective father of the baby. The surrogate is the biological mother (as she is the egg donor) and she agrees to hand over the baby upon delivery to the couple who hired her. Yes, you got it right, Preity Zinta's role in the movie Chori Chori Chupke Chupke.

Gestational Surrogate: In gestational surrogacy, an 'In Vitro Fertilization' (IVF) technique is used to gather the eggs from the mother (an egg donor) and it is fertilized with father's sperm (sperm donor). An embryo is formed outside the womb (in a lab) and then placed in the womb of a surrogate. The surrogate hands over the baby after nine months to the couple who hired her. Yes, you got it right, Phoebe Buffay in reel life in F.R.I.E.N.D.S. And in real life, Preity Zinta-Gene Goodenough and Priyanka Chopra-Nick Jonas who embraced parenthood recently through this method. 

Phoebe Buffay in F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Reasons for Surrogacy:

While reasons for surrogacy are quite personal, a few can be ageing, health issues, career commitments, single parents or homosexuality. In fact, a lot of celebrities have become single parents through surrogacy such as Karan Johar, Ekta Kapoor, Tushar Kapoor and are nurturing 'Designer Babies'. 

Surrogacy Law in India:

India is known as a hub for getting surrogate mothers and a lot of couples from overseas visit India in a hope of finding a right surrogate and fulfilling their dream of becoming parents. Often movies are a reflection of the society and the movie 'Mimi' portrays the surrogacy saga remarkably!

India legalized gestational surrogacy in 2002 and since then many clinics specializing in surrogacy have flourished over the years. But in order to curb the exploitation of women for commercial gains, the Surrogacy Regulation Act with amendments was passed in the year 2021 that accounted for altruistic (selfless) surrogacy wherein no monetary compensation is offered to the surrogate except for the reimbursement for any medical expenses incurred during the pregnancy phase. 

Surrogacy Procedure in India: 

Incase a couple or an individual (single parent) wishes to embrace parenthood through surrogacy, they can visit any of the infertility clinics within their reach who would be providing step-by-step guidance on the process. 

Cost of Surrogacy in India:

Altruistic surrogacy isn't that expensive barring the medical expense during the pregnancy period. However, the chances of getting a surrogate who will agree for altruistic surrogacy  are very bleak. On the contrary, commercial surrogacy will cost anywhere between 13 lakhs to 20 lakhs depending upon the procedures. 

No matter which method you adopt to embrace parenthood, your love towards your child will always be unconditional as a parent. Further, nurturing them and watching them bloom into self-reliant  human beings is an experience that cannot be expressed in words!

Happy Parenting! :)

As a parent, if you have ever cancelled or adjusted your appointments and work schedule just to accommodate for something as silly as a playdate or a slumber party, take a bow! 

The squad on a playdate

If you ever thought that dates always had that 'romance component' attached to it then probably you need to widen your horizon.😊 With a fast-paced lifestyle, nuclear as well as single child families, parents are often concerned of lack of social interaction and development of interpersonal skills in their children. Also, not to forget the online classes due to pandemic that led to lack of physical interaction with their pals for almost 2 years. Hence, making an actual play time appointment - often referred to as a 'Playdate' is obvious. We had one such playdate recently that was followed by a slumber party (a sleepover) and it was quite refreshing!

How to Plan a Playdate and/or a Slumber Party?

1. Finalize a location: 

An exotic location would be ideal but if not possible, at least a spacious indoor or outdoor area should be good enough for kids to have fun. 

Our recent play date and slumber party at a scenic location (Igatpuri, India)

2. Finalize the date and timings: 

Matching everyone's calendar and finalizing the date and timing is indeed a task! Usually, weekends and public holidays suit all. So go for it.

3. Prepare a checklist: 

Prepare a checklist of things to carry or arrange. Divide the task of arranging things by giving the responsibility to everyone. Get the kids on board in preparing the checklist and organizing things. These majorly includes snacks for your lil' ones. In the process, their planning and organizing skills will be honed.

4. Finalize the games: 

Social interaction and interpersonal skill enhancement being the objective, plan the games accordingly. Take a break from the gadgets by keeping them at bay. Have a proper balance of indoor and outdoor games to the extent possible. 

5. Reward the kids: 

Reward every child for their participation and enthusiasm. Let them return back in high spirits and plan for more such playdates and sleepovers. 

Happy parenting! :)

Once upon a time a visionary had a dream - a dream to lift his country in the eyes of the world. A desire to draw attention to the city he loved. The visionary was Jamsetji Tata and his dream was the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. In 1898, his vision was laid in stone and that's how, five years later in 1903, India's finest and one of the most iconic hotel opened its doors to the world. There is also a sweet revenge story that narrates how Jamsetji Tata was inspired to build this iconic hotel after he was refused an entry in the Watson Hotel (now known as Esplanade Manison) located in Kala Ghoda, Mumbai which was restricted to whites only. 

Since its inception, Taj has welcomed guest from all walks of life and has also endured the horrifying 26/11 terror attack only to emerge as one of the best service providers in the hospitality sector. 

View from our sea facing room

To celebrate our love anniversary and to bid adieu to 2021, the man of the house surprised us by booking a staycation in Taj and voila! We were elated as we experienced their exemplary services unfold at every stage of our stay with them. 

To mornings with this view#AamchiMumbai

As a Management Professor, Tata group's examples have been my favourite for topics such as ethics, values, loyalty etc. So here are five points that highlight all of it that I experienced throughout my stay with them.

• Human Touch Element in Service: Warm and polite staff is well trained to add 'Human Touch' element at every point of contact with the customers right form the gatekeeper to the front desk to the janitor. This could be literally sensed at every point of contact with them. The traditional welcome with a thali and the greetings was an amazing experience! (unfortunately I couldn't upload the video due to technical glitch😢. Nevertheless, it's in my Instagram highlights)

• Ambience: Every corner and every aisle boasts about royalty and heritage that makes us take endless selfies at every point for our social media and keepsake. Trust me, you can't resist clicking it all. Also, we were totally mesmerized by the pastel ambience of the Sea Lounge that gave vibes of the west. 

Coz every aisle has a story...

Pastel Ambience at Sea Lounge

• Surprise Goodies: Not all hotels leave surprise goodies in your room for the lil' one accompanying you. Our lil' one was overjoyed to see Christmas goodies hidden in Santa's shoe after we came back from dinner in Shamiana. Little surprises go a long way in shaping customer experiences in a positive way. 😊

Surprise goodies for our lil'one

• No Plastic Bottles and the Delectable Menu: The big round 'glass bottles' in the room as well as in their restaurants as a replacement for plastic drew my attention and was quite impressive! A much needed step to curb the plastic hazard. Also, needless to say that the specially curated menu in Shamiana and Sea lounge (two restaurants that we visited) was delectable! 

• Striving for Customer Delight: Well, while checking out, I forgot my scarf (an inexpensive item) in the room. But after two days, the housekeeping team was kind enough to reach out to us via email and couriered it free of cost as a compliment. Such a kind gesture has truly delighted us because there have been instances in the past wherein we have left behind more expensive items like mobile chargers, belt and shrug at other places but none of them bothered to reach out.   

My scarf that was couriered with compliments!😊

Email from the housekeeping team

Happy 'We'... signing off with loads of good memories for life😊 Thank you Taj for being an amazing host and memories of lifetime! Here's to many more 💜

"A year from now you wish you had started."

Representative Image: Pexels

2021 - The beginning of a new decade started with a bang until a few days in Jan as we discovered that the man of the house has been tested positive for Covid. But early detection, timely treatment and isolation helped us overcome that phase. As the days passed by, we were able to get the jabs - a step towards defeating the virus! 

The year has dispensed some rare pearls of wisdom to nurture and cherish and out of those, the five most important ones learnt the hard way are:

1. Health is Wealth: Although we have heard it multiple times, we often take it for granted. But better late than never. Eating right, moderate exercise and adequate sleep is all that your body needs to keep going. And, don't forget to laugh often till it hurts your belly. 😂
2. Learning Never Stops: Every pro was once an amateur. You are never too old to learn any new skill or venture into new career avenues. 
3. Expressing Deep Sense of Gratitude: Expressing gratitude towards everyone around us for their tiny gestures of kindness doesn't hurt anyone! Also, being grateful for every single breath, good health, company of loved ones and privileges. 🙏
4. Introspect: At times its better to be be quiet and let it go...because inner peace is better than having your last word. Introspect and meditate to build your focus on important things that matter. 🙇
5. Family is Everything: No matter how much one fights and argues over petty things, making time for each other and being there to celebrate all the special occasions and success alike is what contentment feels like. The tightest hugs, kisses and cuddles is what keeps you going through every season. 👪

The phone gallery never lies, when we try to recall the good times we cherished in the year! Wishing all a prosperous 2022! 😊

Cheers to 2022!💜