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Me, Myself & Music: 7 RD Burman Classics in My Playlist

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I am not a singer, but I sing decently. Most of us Bengalis have that skill, as it is, a generational trait. More than singing, I love listening to songs, and in fact, I love listening to any form of music. And yes, just as per the theme of Blogchatter Blog Hop this week, being a moody Gemini, I need constant recharge to keep on going with mundane tasks. What can be better than good music?  I don't confine myself to a particular genre of music. But mostly I get drawn to music from the 90s to 2010. After that, I can count and say the very few songs that have attracted me. Now, I have grown up listening to varied forms of music- Rabindra sangeet, old Bengali light music, Mohammed Rafi, Jagjit Sing, Boney M, Beatles, Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hassan, Runa Laila, Old Hindi movie songs and even classical music of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi and Parveen Sultana. Most of my family members have been inclined to music, and I have learned the same from them. Therefore, music plays an im...
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Take It Easy-Work, Pause, Restart

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2025 was amazing for me in respect to travelling, with one family trip to Rajasthan and one solo trip to Goa (thanks to Blogchatter). However, it wasn't that great for my health goals. I have started this year with a conscious effort to improve my health. Let's see how it goes. What went wrong in 2025 2025 had been a milestone year in my life, as I finally became a published author. For that, I had spent many sleepless nights and pages of drafts and ended up being published in 9 anthologies so far, in a single year. This had affected my health habits, and since I had been taking care of the family all this time, I found very little time to pay attention to my own health. Because whatever time I got for myself, I spent it in writing and reading.  The Lifestyle I am Looking Forward To in 2026: Eating Correctly:  I had not been eating right throughout last year, especially during the entire festive season, which led to unhealthy eating habits. This year, I am being extra careful ...
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5 Action Movies with Strong Mothers

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We are mostly used to watching films that show action-packed sequences with men in the lead fighting the bad. However, many movies also feature strong female characters fighting the bad for their own defence, either to protect themselves or their family. We can always find strong female characters in films like Tomb Raider, but these portrayals of women who take up the gun/sword as their work.  The ones we would be discussing today are mothers who are being wronged or threatened and who come out stronger by defending themselves and their families. 1. Double Jeopardy (1999): Ashley Judd stars as Libby, a married woman who gets falsely accused of her husband Nick's murder, while on a sailing getaway. Libby, who realises that her husband has framed the whole situation for insurance money, gets paroled in a parole house with her safety officer, Lehman, while her son is adopted by her friend Angela. What follows is an action-packed journey of revenge and betrayal. The movie is full of t...
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Soda’s Holi

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Soda was watering the plants when, all of a sudden, he heard laughter and the cheerful cries of “Happy Holi!” nearby. The kids from the colony were playing with colours, something Soda had always dreamed of doing. At just 9 years old, he had never had the chance to celebrate Holi or play with colours. The shanty he shared with Shambhu Dada was small and barely provided enough room for him to hide from the inappropriate advances of drunken men who roamed their area during Holi, often doing unthinkable things to small children in the name of celebration. Shambhu Dada tried his best to protect him, but it wasn’t always enough. Soda was grateful to Shambhu Dada for his efforts and often quietly accepted the scolding and beatings, knowing that he was the only person in the world who cared for him.  An orphan, Soda worked odd jobs around roadside eateries and soda-water joints, washing cars and running errands, but he never begged like other children. Shambhu Dada had taught him three im...
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3 IITians Share 5 Important Tips to Follow Before Board Exams #BlogaberryCC

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The most important part of a student's life that can be termed a milestone and that shows where they actually stand in their foundation-building stage is surely the Board exams. Often, students go through fear and anxiety before the exams. Today, I have a few tried-and-tested tips from IITians, Asit, Monojit and  Mayank , who have shared their opinions that may help students, especially before their Board Exams. Q.1: What should be the pattern of study before the exam date? Monojit says, "Before exam day, students should mainly focus on revising important concepts and topics they tend to forget. Instead of starting new topics, they should keep their revision light and focused." He also emphasises taking short breaks and staying relaxed to maintain a positive mindset. Mayank has some important points to add." Start with the most difficult topics when the mind is fresh. Also, following a rotating schedule may ensure that no subjects are left untouched. The day before ...
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Chain Reaction

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Nisha I have to arrive early today. She must be quite upset. An apology from my side, will that be  enough? I will do anything to earn her forgiveness. But will she accept? I will try. Although I  am doubtful, my subconscious mind knows she will be friends with me once again. She is  kind, and kindness can cure every mistake. I know it was a mistake on my part, but I was so  overwhelmed that I was not even aware of what I was doing. For who had been so friendly  with me, ever? Nobody. I was roaming on earth just like a shadow, a ghost.  My parents left  me for the heavenly abode when I was a toddler, leaving me to be unwillingly taken care of  by my uncle's family. They were already struggling to make ends meet with two of their own  children, and I appeared as a third burden by choice. So, what I used to get were leftovers —leftovers of everything: food, clothes, books. I cannot recall a single day when I was  spoken to nicely. I only f...
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Of Movies and Colours: 5 Movies with Best Colour Themes

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Am I colourful enough? Oh yes, each of us is full of colours. The colours we like, momentarily, may even decide the mood we are in at that point. That is very much applicable to me. And at this moment, I am drawn mostly to the jewel tones of solid red, green, blue, garnet, etc. As a regular Google University student, my quick research helped me determine some theoretical reasons why I am drawn to these colours. Let me first enlist: 1. Jewel tones evoke confidence 2. It looks sophisticated and powerful 3. It looks luxurious This is what Google has to say. For me, these tones are flattering on my complexion; it's as simple as that. (Perhaps the ghost of my beauty blogging past is still haunting me). Well, that's about my choice of colour of late. And I am aware that the topic suggests that too.  But let me talk movies today- movies where colours play a significant role, somehow. Here are a few films of my choice and the colours they highlight. 1. Schindler's List (Red):  Im...
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