Category: You

Categories
Guest writer

The struggle to realise a dream

The city of dreams is often cruel to those hoping to realise their own – by making them struggle alone.
by Mohammad Saad Khan

Mohammad Saad KhanThe dream of being heard as a musician and the responsibility of being the elder son of the family landed me in the city where a million dreams live and breathe.

This was the first time ever that I left my little home in Visakhapatnam where I lived with my family.

Playing gigs at small venues and often singing at almost empty ones, such as restaurants, for a little amount of money, I was living in hopes of being heard by the right crowd, at the right time, at the right place. The failure of that dream and the ache of watching my almost 50-year-old father working hard to put our lives together, made me take the decision of moving to Mumbai.

Mumbai, for me, is a totally new world compared to where I’ve been living before. Here, waking up to my mother’s voice has been replaced by the noise of the 27 others that I live with, in a dormitory near Mohammed Ali Road.

Yes, I live in a dormitory. A home to 27 other people who have come to this city for various reasons.

I managed to find myself a job at a call centre in order to take care of my expenses in this city. It has been a tough task to settle myself here, but that is obvious. The tough part was more emotional than physical. I was living in the most crowded city in the country but had no one to talk to.

One night, while walking through the streets in Colaba, I saw an old woman begging for food outside a church. It was Easter’s night, I remember. She was looking for someone who’d lend senior_citizen alone in mumbai her a meal, and I was looking for someone who’d lend me an ear. I gave her a little something and she was more than happy.

In return, I asked her to talk to me for a while. I heard her story and told her mine. That little conversation was a lesson – a lesson that taught me that the grass is never greener on the other side. It also gave me an idea of how different the lives in this city with its tall buildings and bright lights are.

It’s been almost six months in Mumbai for me and I’m still trying to figure out the way to deal with the psychological stress of being alone in the most crowded city in the country. And I’m still trying to figure out the path that leads to my dreams, in order to put my life together.

This is my story in Mumbai so far…

Mohammad Saad Khan is 21 and loves writing songs on how he feels about things in life, apart from singing, making sketches of things and people he likes, and meeting new people and listening to their stories.

(Pictures courtesy www.trekearth.com, myopiclenses.blogspot.com, www.indiashots.com)

Categories
Deal with it

Cloudy with a chance of rainfall

That’s the forecast for today, folks. We list important information and phone numbers to use in case of an emergency.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Yesterday, Sunday, was an almost total washout in Mumbai – it rained long and hard for prolonged spells, and as always, the city’s transport and overall mobility was hit hard by water-logging.

The weather department predicts very heavy showers today as well.  According to the forecast put out for today by the Indian Meteorological Centre (IMD), Mumbai, there will be “heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by strong wind speeds reaching 45 to 50 kmph in the city and suburbs.” The IMD has also cautioned the city to step out of doors only in the case of an emergency.

phone numbersWhether this forecast comes true today or not, do keep this list of emergency numbers handy if you need help in an emergency during the day:

BMC Disaster management control room: 108 (toll free helpline), 1916, 2270 4403, 2269 4725, 2269 4727, 2269 4719

MMRDA control room to report flooding: 26591241 /26594176/8080705051

Mumbai Fire Brigade: 23076111

B. E. S. T.: 22084242, 22084243, 22856262, 22184242 22182709

Railway control room: 23759201, 23759283 23759280

Churchgate: 2201 7420, 2208 4287

Mumbai Central Police: 2307 0197

CST: 2262 2685, 2262 0173, 2626 1695

Traffic control room: 24937755, 24937746, 24937747, 24927234

MHADA control room: 6640 5000, 2494 8423

Autorichshaw and taxi complaint helpline: 1800220110

Colaba weather station for forecast:  22150431, 22150517

Electricity issues and sudden outages:

M.S.E.B (Bandra) 2647 2131 2647 6749
M.S.E.B. (Bhandup) 2566 8225 2564 3990
M.S.E.B. (Mulund -West) 2568 6666, 2565 3408/2564 1866
M.S.E.B. Mulund (East) 2561 0013

Reliance:

Santacruz: 3009 9999, 3009 4844
Goregaon: 3009 6999, 3009 4844
Andheri to Jogeshwari: 3009 6999, 3009 4330, 3009 4200
Goregaon to Kandivali: 3009 6999, 3009 4900, 3009 4844
Borivali to Bhayander: 3009 6999, 3009 4500, 3009 3070, 3009 4633
Kurla to Chembur, Ghatkopar, Vikhroli: 3009 6999, 3009 2040, 2522 1720

Plus:

The Mumbai Traffic Police advisory to motorists.

Alternate routes to use in case of water logging.

(Pictures courtesy www.thehindu.com, www.seroundtable.com)

Categories
Beauty

Jhakaas skin and hair this monsoon

Some tricks to keep your skin and hair beautiful even as the monsoon tries to wreck havoc with your looks.
by Beverley Lewis

Don’t let the monsoon dampen your passion to look and feel great. Sure, the excess humidity in the air during this season can damage your skin and hair, making it look dull and lifeless, so it is very important for us to customise our skin and hair-care regime in the monsoon. Here are things to watch out for.

Clean up well: Start by cleansing your face twice a day with an anti-bacterial facewash to prevent skin infections and break outs, especially when you have been walking in the rain. “Water left on the skin for a long time acts as an irritant, making it itchy and easily susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections,” says dermatologist Dr Rickson Pereira, attached to Dr. Minal’s Dermatherapie Centre, Mumbai.

happy feetFungal troubles: The biggest skin complaint during the monsoon is fungal infections, since fungus thrives in humidity, and wet skin folds provide easy nesting places to fungi and yeast. “This can lead to itchy, circular, reddish, flaking patches on the body, especially in skin folds at the groin (known as a ‘Jock itch’), underarms and around the breast region for women,” says Dr Poonam Wadwani, D&T Medical Centre.

Blast fungal infections away with this routine:
– Dry your skin well after you get in from the rain and remember to sprinkle anti-fungal powder over these areas after a shower.

– Athlete’s foot is another common bacterial and fungal infection that affects people whose feet stay wet for hours, especially after exposure to dirty water. Prevent this by thoroughly washing your feet with soap and hot water after wading through stagnant water, and then dry them completely. Dust some talcum powder or antifungal powder especially between toes to absorb the excess moisture to prevent fungal infections.

– Change your socks frequently and dust the insides of your footwear with talcum or antifungal powder.

– When doing pedicures, do not soak your feet for longer than 10 minutes. Ensure the use of clean, sterilised instruments. Instruct your aesthetician to avoid pushing the cuticles, as toe infections can be common during monsoons.

Hair care: The monsoon can also play havoc with your hair, leading to greasiness and dandruff. The heightened moisture in the atmosphere makes hair flat and its texture, dull. The shampoo girlresult: dull and limp tresses. Dr Rickson explains, “Scalp can get itchy due to collection of sebum, sweat and exfoliated skin which can result in worsening of dandruff and increased hair fall.”

To avoid this, men should shampoo their scalp daily and women at least every other day, to prevent the build-up of increased sebum and sweat. Regular washing also reduces itching. Adds Dr Wadwani, “Use a light shampoo and conditioner to cleanse the hair and prevent frizziness. Also, use a silicone-based serum to give hair a smooth texture and protect it from heat caused by blow drying.”

Avoid excessive styling of the hair with instruments and styling products as the hairstyles tend to hold-on less due to the humidity. Instead, opt for a low-maintenance hairdo.

A final list of tips for skin and hair care this monsoon
If you’re simply looking for a checklist for skin and hair maintenance this season, look no further:
– Try to restrict the number of hair products you use to a shampoo and conditioner. Try, in particular, to avoid hair sprays.

– Use a mild shampoo and wash your hair regularly.

– Use conditioner after every wash.

– Drink plenty of water.

face scrub– Eat a balanced diet and include a lot of fresh fruit and salads.

– Use a face scrub twice a week to exfoliate.

– Avoid heavy moisturising creams or oily foundations. Instead, use a light mousse or a few drops of calamine lotion as a base.

– Use a toner each time you wash your face to close the pores and restore your skin’s pH balance.

Beverley Lewis has written for beauty magazines and has amazing tips to share. Do you have a monsoon beauty secret to share? Write to Beverley in the comments section below.

(Pictures courtesy 1000awesomethings.com, www.ladybugblessings.com, l-a-d-y.blogspot.com, www.laurakinch.com)

Categories
Achieve

Our girl in the Big Apple

Mumbai model Scherezade Shroff was chosen from thousands of bloggers to represent India for Sunsilk Style Studio in New York.
by Vrushali Lad | vrushali@themetrognome.in

Sherry ShroffShe’s anything but just a pretty face – a lawyer by qualification, a model by profession (she started modelling at age 16) and a marathon runner by choice, Scherezade Shroff was recently selected to represent India as part of Sunsilk Style Studio, an initiative in which Sunsilk flew 20 international bloggers to New York in May 2013.

Sherry – as Scherezade is more popularly known – was selected to represent the country from among thousands of fashion bloggers. “The girl they were looking for in each country had to fit the brief of a woman who had written her own story in life, had several different aspects to her personality and who was a fashion blogger,” Sherry told The Metrognome.

The initiative brought together fashion bloggers from 20 countries to spend four days in New York, during which they toured the city, attended workshops with the Sunsilk experts from the profession and participated in a photo shoot. On Day 1, the girls had a meet-the-others session, which helped break the ice – each girl had arrived in New York at different times, so there hadn’t been a proper catch-up session. “On Day 2, each girl was assigned an expert as per her hair type, and I was very lucky to have Jamal Hammadi – Shine Expert. We had the photo shoot with Anna Wolf and met with our expert for a discussion on hair,” Sherry explained. Each girl was also assigned a make-up person and wardrobe stylist, and the hair experts designed the girls’ looks in keeping with their hair requirements and what the shoot needed.

Sherry to the rescue

None of the other girls had a modelling background, and though they were avid fashion bloggers, none of them had ever participated in a photo shoot as a model before. “The shoot The photo shoot itself was designed to be fun, with a party theme and lots of fun props like blow-up cupcakes and an actual photo booth,” she said. “It didn’t seem like a photo shoot at all. But before it began, many of the girls came to me asking for tips on facing the camera. Yet once it got underway, despite the cameras, everybody had a blast! It was very relaxed and I think it was the funnest shoot I’ve ever been a part of,” she laughs.

Working with Jamal Hammadi

“I was very lucky to get Jamal, because he understood the problems of my hair perfectly. My hair is thick and difficult to manage because it gets dry and damaged pretty quickly. Plus it gets bigger and bigger in the Mumbai humidity,” Sherry explains. “I used to try taming it with oil, but washing off the oil took several tries and the problem just got worse. Jamal understood the problem and gave me a great haircut. He also recommended that I try avocado oil – it penetrated my hair quickly, it helped keep my hair in check and can you believe it, I actually shot with oiled hair? I couldn’t have imagined ever shooting with oiled hair!”

Even after her return to Mumbai on May 18, she is still surprised that her hair is behaving itself despite the humidity. “I don’t usually leave my hair open, but with Jamal’s haircut I actually can! I used to be very anti-oil and serum, but now Jamal’s advised me on the right oils to use,” Sherry explained.

Post the New York sojourn

“While I was still at New York, I did a lot of video blogs and updated my regular blog as well,” Sherry explained. “I am now working on editing these videos and uploading them one by one.”

More from Sherry’s New York visit:

 (Sherry video blogs at www.youtube.com/fashiontube and writes here. Pictures courtesy Scherezade Shroff)

Categories
Wellness

50% cosmetics sold OTC are fake?

A study of over 500 cosmetic, beauty products sold without prescription showed that most of them were harmful to skin.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

We follow ads on TV and in the newspapers which point us towards the latest cure for our physical ailments. Some of us want the perfect skin, others want to lose weight without exercise and diet. What’s more, if the product we’re aiming to buy comes from a major pharmaceutical or FMCG company, we’re confident of its results even before using it.

You could be so wrong.

Dr Samir Mansuri holds up one of the products testedA team of doctors conducted an in-depth and comprehensive survey and study of cosmetic and beauty products available in the Indian market OTC (over the counter) and without prescription. Over 500 cosmetic and beauty products were studied for several parameters, most notably on their efficacy, safety of use, whether they satisfied manufacturing and Government norms, and whether they really delivered what the promised. The team of doctors was led by ayurved exponent Dr Samir Mansuri (in pic on left) and it included Dr GK Mansuri, who is a member of the CCIM, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

As per the products tested in laboratories in Ahmedabad and Mumbai, the doctors’ findings were:

– About 50 per cent of all cosmetics and beauty or skin care products sold over the counter in India are either fake or spurious or both, or whose shelf life has expired and are harmful to the human skin in the long run.

– Many products do not have the mandatory Government of India manufacturing license for cosmetic products.
– About 65 per cent of unbranded (or unknown brands) products contain harmful ingredients or compounds including synthetically-produced elements, ingredients and compounds.
– Even ayurvedic products manufactured by FMCG giants contained ingredients obtained from herbs and plants or plant extracts grown artificially and not organically.
– Overdoses of pesticides remained as residues in such ayurvedic products. Most ayurvedic products sold in India as beauty and cosmetic products are not tested for residual pesticides.
– According to Dr Samir Mansuri, if bottled water and colas manufactured by large international FMCG brands and monitored by several NGOs can contain high level of pesticides, onefake drugs can only attempt to imagine the situation with medicinal and non-medicinal cosmetic products manufactured with herbal and plant extracts and sold OTC as ayurvedic medicines.

Dr Samir Mansuri has now launched a ‘Save our Skin’ campaign on the social media to highlight the dangers of buying spurious OTC beauty and cosmetic products that are sold without regulation.

(Pictures courtesy www.cosmeticsdesign-asia.com, www.scoop.it)

Categories
Achieve

Mumbai doctor scales Mount Everest

Dr Murad Lala is the first doctor from India to scale the world’s highest mountain. The journey took two months.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Scaling the highest mountain in the world must give one a huge high. Setting a record in the process must be simply fabulous.

Dr. Murad E. LalaMumbai-based consultant oncosurgeon Dr Murad Lala reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 19 this year at exactly 9.10 am to become the first doctor in India to have summitted the mountain successfully. Dr Lala, attached to the PD Hinduja Hospital, Mahim, took seven weeks of climbing to reach the top.

Mount Everest is 29,035 feet high and lies in the Himalayas along the border of Nepal, China and Tibet. Dr Lala set out on the journey from Mumbai on March 28. “I reached Kathmandu the same day,” he said. “After completing the formalities set by the Nepal Government, my team and I set out on April 1 to Lukla and from there, we walked approximately 63 km and reached the base camp on April 8.” From there on, it was a short three-hour journey to Camp 2, and from Camp 2 to 3, and from Camp 3 to Camp 4 was a journey of approximately 16 hours in all. “The whole process of climbing Everest takes time because mountaineers believe in ‘scaling high and resting low’, which means even though one reaches Camp 1, climbers have to come back the same evening to base camp and rest. This is done so that one’s body gets acclimatised to high altitudes,” Dr Lala explained.

Why Everest?

Dr Lala said, “Since childhood I always I had this dream of climbing Mount Everest. The Hinduja Hospital management has been kind enough to allow me to take time off and realise my Dr Lala (second from left) with Mr Lele (first from left), Ms Vinoo Hinduja (second from right), Dr Bhaleroa (first from right)dream. Trekking the Everest is a no mean task. I did my training by doing the ‘Triple Crown Expedition’, which means scaling the three peaks Lobuche East – (6,119 metres high), Pokalde (5,806 metres) and Island Peak (6,145 metres).

“We were a group of eight (excluding the personal sherpas and Western guide, Marty Schmidt) and our group motto was ‘One Team, One Dream’. The 12-hour journey was the walk of a lifetime for me. When I finally reached the top, I finally realised that just because we are ordinary people, it does not mean we cannot have extraordinary dreams.”

Congratulating Dr Lala for his accomplishment, Dr Gustad Daver, Director-Professional Services, PD Hinduja Hospital said, “Dr Lala, apart from being an excellent cancer surgeon with our hospital since 2001, has been an epitome of courage and determination by achieving this act. As a fellow consultant, I feel proud that he has managed to excel in his professional life and in the same time achieved his personal dream to become the first doctor from India to have scaled the Everest.”

(Pictures courtesy Dr Murad Lala)

Exit mobile version