Dress to bag your dream JOB!

Dress for a job you aspire to have not the job you have. Job interviews are stressful enough with those tough questions and resume fretting over, you would not want to have one more thing to worry about with these. Whether you like it or not fashion matters when it comes to landing your dream job. 
Dress for the industry in which you’re interviewing, it is different while interviewing for a white-shoe law firm and a tech startup and your clothes should reflect that.
The IT industry has quite relaxed norms in terms of dressing up. That being said, you should not go wearing jeans and chappals!


Here are some things you could choose to wear:

Saree: You can choose to wear a simple cotton lightly printed saree with a plain simple blouse. Wear minimal jewellery, smartwatch, and earrings.

Salwar Kameez: A simple well-fitted salwar kameez would work well. Personally, I don’t think much of people who turn up wearing leggings for an interview. It just looks too casual (like you stepped out to buy some milk and entered an interview room).
Pair your salwar kameez with light jewellery. Make sure the dupatta (if you carry it) doesn’t have any bells / latkans / shells/coins or the like.

Formal pants: A pair of classic black slacks is an essential part of a women's wardrobe. It's worth it to invest in a pair of quality black dress pants that fit well and will hold up after many years.
Once you have a good pair of dress pants, it's easy to dress them up or dress them down. You can pair your dress pants with a button-down shirt or a blazer for a formal look, or with a sweater for a business casual look.

With a bit of creativity, black dress pants don't have to be boring. Add a top with an interesting detail, like this heather-gray sweater with black stripes and a button-down blouse. It softens the look and makes it a bit special.

Peep-toe heels with a moderate heel height are fashion-forward but still tasteful. If you're looking to dress down your look, add a pair of ballet flats or loafers instead of heels.

Skirt: A skirt made of an interesting fabric or a simple black pencil skirt is a great way to make a business look your own.

The most important thing is to appear reliable, smart and well-dressed. It really doesn’t matter whether you are wearing western clothes or Indian. Your skills, education don’t depend on whether you wear a saree or a skirt. Wear you feel most comfortable in.

First impressions are critical. What you wear is the first thing people see, before you even speak a word. They don’t know you yet, and they don’t have a lot to go on.

All the best for your interviews! Smile and be confident and you will rock the show!
 
By Pia Bhadauria

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Diwali - It's time to BAM!

Diwali is like the most awaited festival of the year. We all wait for it the whole year. We all celebrate it with great joy with our family and friends. Our reasons may be different to celebrate it, as there are many tales associated with it. The most common tale is that of Lord Rama returning to Ayodhya with his wife, Sita, and his brother, Lakshmana after an exile of 14 years and defeating Ravana. The night of Diwali is moonless night or Amavasya so we lit diyas and candles. Diwali is hence called the festival of light and it feels like Indian Christmas for the uninitiated. 

Diwali is not only just yet another religious time of the year, it is much more. Colorful rangolis, resplendent diyas, mesmerizing firecrackers, mouthwatering food, nightlong card parties, vigorous gift giving and a massive dose of amusement and laughter with family and friends are all the ingredients that make up the recipe for a smashing Diwali.

Since Diwali is the most colorful and the vibrant festival you need to plan your outfit accordingly to capture the gaze and turn heads of masses.

For the morning time when you have to go and meet relatives or they come to your house. The time when you have to get all dressed up to mingle up with people. You don’t want to be overdressed at that time with your heavy lehenga.

What you want is something elegant yet dressy, something in which you are not overdressed for the occasion. Go to the salwar kameez route with its draped front or the traditional with light color breezy elegant saree.

For the game night of Diwali, the game of cards. You might want to wear something in the Indo western area.

Be it any occasion gowns are always fashionably elegant. So this Diwali let the glamorous gown and dreamy confections make everyone go gaga! To make it more classy carry a ritzy clutch.

Revamp your Diwali style this season by adding some modern taste to your traditional attire. Wear a body fitting tee with a long traditional skirt and perk up your attire with some old traditional jewellery. 

For the game night of Diwali, the game of cards. You might want to wear something in the Indo western area.

Be it any occasion gowns are always fashionably elegant. So this Diwali let the glamorous gown and dreamy confections make everyone go gaga! To make it more classy carry a ritzy clutch.

Revamp your Diwali style this season by adding some modern taste to your traditional attire. Wear a body fitting tee with a long traditional skirt and perk up your attire with some old traditional jewellery.

PAIRING RIGHT JEWELLERY WITH YOUR ATTIRE

For the game night of Diwali, the game of cards. You might want to wear something in the Indo western area.

Be it any occasion gowns are always fashionably elegant. So this Diwali let the glamorous gown and dreamy confections make everyone go gaga! To make it more classy carry a ritzy clutch.

Revamp your Diwali style this season by adding some modern taste to your traditional attire. Wear a body fitting tee with a long traditional skirt and perk up your attire with some old traditional jewellery.

CHOOSING THE CORRECT FOOTWEAR

For the game night of Diwali, the game of cards. You might want to wear something in the Indo western area.

Be it any occasion gowns are always fashionably elegant. So this Diwali let the glamorous gown and dreamy confections make everyone go gaga! To make it more classy carry a ritzy clutch.

Revamp your Diwali style this season by adding some modern taste to your traditional attire. Wear a body fitting tee with a long traditional skirt and perk up your attire with some old traditional jewellery.

Have fun on your shopping sprees, and have a Happy Diwali!!! 

By Pia Bhadauria

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Navratri Celebrations

Navratri, we celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm every year. Navratri is a combination of two words, where ‘Nav’ means nine and ‘ratri’ means to be nights.
It is a festival of all nine days. In these nine days, we worship nine different forms of goddess Durga.
Many of the people also opt for fasting and they wait an entire year to be part of this festival.
Any fast or a festival is incomplete without bhog. Navratri also has nine different kinds of bhog for each day having its own significance. There are nine different colours also for each day of this festival.

Day one of Navratri also known as ‘Pratipada’, we worship “Maa Shailputri”, the daughter of Himalayas. On this day cow’s ghee is offered to the goddess. This gives the devotee a disease-free life. The colour for this day is yellow.

The second day is ‘Dwitiya’. On this day Goddess Durga is worshipped as “Brahmacharini”. This form grants prosperity and emancipation. To increase the longevity of the devotee and his/her family members, sugar is offered to the goddess on this day. The colour for this day as per religion is green.

The third day of Navratri is known as ‘tritiya’ and goddess Durga is worshipped as “Maa Chandraghanta”. The third day of Navratri exhibits characteristics of bravery and courage. Grey is the colour for this day. It is believed that offering milk, kheer and sweets made of milk helps to get rid of sorrows and pains in life.

On the fourth day of Navratri also known as the ‘chaturthi’, goddess Durga is worshipped in the form of “Kushmanda”. It is depicted to have 10 hands. The colour for this day is orange. As bhog to goddess Kushmanda, malpua is offered to the maan Durga goddess. It is believed that the universe is formed from the abdomen of the goddess. Offering malpua to goddess Kushmanda is believed to improve mental ability and decision-making power of the devotee.

A form of goddess Durga to be worshipped on the fifth day or the ‘panchami’ is “Skandmata”. Skandmata is depicted holding an infant Kartikey. It is traditional to wear white on this day. The bhog that we offer to goddess Skandmata on this is a banana. It is believed that offering banana helps to keep the physical health of the devotee.

On the sixth day ‘Shashti’, we worship goddess “Katyayani”. According to Hindu mythology, respected Kata performed several formalities to welcome the Goddess in the form of a daughter. Impressed with the devotion, the Goddess accepted his blessing. The child who was born to Kata came to be known as Katyayani. Honey is offered to the goddess on this day and this makes the devotee look charming and attractive. Color for this day is red.

‘Saptami’ or the seventh day. Goddess “Kalratri” is worshipped on this day. The goddess is portrayed having a dark complexion and aggressive posture. The colour for this day is royal blue. On this day we offer jaggery to the goddess for the removal of evil powers.

On the eighth day of Navratri or the ‘Ashtmi’ goddess, “Maha Gauri” is worshipped and this day symbolizes of purity, serenity and tranquillity, Mahagauri is said to put an end to all the suffering of her devotees. People offer fresh un-boiled milk, sweets made from mawa,halwa, black chana (gram) and fresh flowers to this goddess Later, these items are distributed as prasad among themselves.


Looking Ethnic and Trendy 
For Women

• Anarkali: A beautifully designed anarkali suit will be nicely complemented with stone jumkis and an embellished clutch. This dress will make you feel like a diva and grab everyone’s attention.  You can even add height with a nice pair of stilettos.

• Lehengas: The quintessential ethnic wear, will certainly add some beauty and charm to your appearance. Team it up with a nice pair of heels and an embroidered bag to give it a nice ethnic look. This is certain to be a great attire for this festive season.

For Men

• Kurta Payjama: Men can wear kurta pyajama in different shades of pink, blue or any bright colour. The neck can be adorned with beautiful embroidery or colourful prints. Cotton and silk are popularly used fabrics for kurta pyjamas. This ethnic dress can also be completed by teaming it up with a pair of nagaras/mojaris.

• Sherwani: This traditional attire can be teamed with a pink stole, embroidery on the neckline and slim fit black pants to create a distinct look. With this attire, you will definitely stand out from the crowd.

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How to wear palazzo pants?

Trends tend to come back. Wide leg, loose, flowing palazzo pants super famous in 60’s recently had a huge comeback. Among all the cool and hipster-ish clothing that was worn in the 60’s, palazzos were and are a favorite with many fashionistas.

Through the last year and this year, we’ve seen people all over the world flaunt this sartorial wonder. By now, nearly every woman in the world must have owned at least a pair (or about a few tens) of them. You own palazzos but don’t know different ways in which you can wear them, here are few suggestions for you.

•  Team it up with a tank top

Palazzo pants teamed up with tank tops make a simple, yet really chic statement. Add a belt with it to make it all the more chic.

• Wear it with a Tee

The simplest way to wear your pair of palazzo pants is to team them up with a simple tee. It is a sure shot way to make your palazzo-look not go overboard and to keeping things casual.

• A classy combination

Wear palazzo with a kurta and get the elegant look both these flowy clothes bring you. Wearing a palazzo with a kurta is the most desi way to wear a palazzo.

•  Palazzo pants go best with a crop top

The best way to wear a palazzo is with a crop top. Long sleeved or short sleeved, velvet or lace, wear your crop top in as many ways as you’d like to experiment. They together bring out a certain elegance and grace at the same time to your attire.

•  Go formal

Team up your palazzo with a formal shirt and you have your formal, work wear out of your palazzos.

•  Ready-go-on Look

Layer up you palazzo pants with denim jackets or blazers and you would get a ready-on-go look.

• Make a jumpsuit

All you have to do is team them up with a top of the same color and then spruce it up a little more by adding a belt at the waist. This also makes a good work wear.

Now that you know how to wear palazzo with nearly every top you own, is it time to replace your favorite jeans?

If you don’t own a palazzo, go buy one and wear it flaunting your feminine side to the world.

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Which saree is right for your body type?

One of the most required things we cannot overlook of present times fashion is our cultural apparel. Being in style is something we always love and enjoy. You may be able to solve most of your problems of wearing "what" on "what" occasion by completely relying on your Indian ethnic wear. With lots of choices for you in apparel, you will look at your best in the Indian ethnic apparel known as saree. 

Saree is one of the world's oldest and most sensuous & glamorous all time wear for women. Thus in the modern world, it continues to be economical and easy to wear the garment, suitable for work, leisure or luxury. Even in modern age women continue to buy sarees with great enthusiasm especially during festivals and wedding seasons.

There is no dress in this world than saree that can show you how to look extremely gorgeous. It is in the last few years that the trend of this saree has changed like anything. Indians wear it in different ways and all of them look absolutely fabulous.
The fast changing lifestyle has still not been able to affect the beauty and elegance saree showcases. These are the times when you feel that nothing is better than a saree.
Below is the list of essential tips for fashion that Indian women love to wear and look extremely stylish -

1. You need to understand the frame of your body if you want to select the traditional wear such as sarees – If you are a quite plumpy and have fats deposited around the sides of your waist, then it would be better if you do not wear sleeveless cuts. There are the dark colors that can be chosen and you can better avoid the lighter shades.
Then there are prints that are vertical in line and are small. They give a woman a gorgeous slim look. There are women with heavy built and it would be better if they avoid Kota and cotton sarees.  They can instead go for Georgette and chiffon sarees.
If you have a medium built then there are fawn and beige that are considered as the best colors whom you will love to wear. If you are trying to search blouses, then you can look for net material blouses that are extremely beautiful and you would absolutely love them for their elegance and incomparable charm you would find.

2. You can wear colors that look great on your skin tone.
There are Indian women who are fairly gorgeous and they can try a number of shades of copper and gold.
If you have a wheatish or dusky complexion then try making the concoction of white, bronze, beige, and gold. They are extremely beautiful and look perfect.
Darker complexioned women can really appear at their best in copper and golden shades and colors.

3. Your self-confidence is perfect to carry you from your jeans to sarees – yes it definitely is!      If you think that buying only from a reputed designer will make you look great and flawless, then let me tell you that you are absolutely wrong. You can equally and in fact, you can flaunt your beauty and poise in traditional attire more than you can do in the western attire. 

Find some of the latest designs on the most popular websites such as the Facebook or Instagram.

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Planning for long Weekends

WORK! WORK! WORK!   We all are very much occupied from Monday to Friday while continuously working at our desk with full dedication. Do not spare time for ourselves even when we are at home, What all we do after such a long tiring work is to eat and take rest during weekends, subsequently prepare ourselves for another upcoming Monday with all the tiring work grind again for rest of the week.
Who doesn’t want a break from routine? Who doesn’t want a long weekend to enjoy with family/friends?  Who does not want to rejuvenate so to face the tiring and routine lifestyle again in office?
Everyone wants a break from hectic routine. Everyone wants to have fun and relaxation without being tensed about work, meeting deadlines and stressed out due to the pressure of meeting expectations.

Pre Planning for Long Weekend Outing
But then again, while going for a long weekend, escaping from your daily routine comes with a price of planning and packing in advance.
Planning requires many things to be considered beforehand.What should I carry with me?What should I wear on the journey?
What kind of dress should I pack for the party, the dinner, and trip to explore the city?
There are many things, you have to plan to go for a long weekend outing.
Packing these kinds of stuff is not a difficult or tiring task; the difficult task is to decide.
It is to choose which garb to pack. Let us help you a little in this weary task.
Here are some ideas that you might wanna consider for attires to be packed.
“Travel and change of place impart new vigour to the mind.” Travelling is something which we all love. But even during travel, we have to clinch what clothes we want to wear. As it is very much important for us to be comfortable even during travel. These are some of the garbs you might want to take a look to determine from.

Dress by default - You never want to dress up like a bum or a hobo to go on a journey. You won’t want to overdo your look, but you won’t even want to look like someone who just woke up from the bed.

Dress up comfortably- Dressing up comfortably is a must. You won’t want to wear your tight jeans for travelling. Wearing some trousers, joggers who have some room in them are ideal to wear for a journey. Wearing fitting t-shirts or shirts in which we feel tight is never comfortable to wear for an expedition. It would be best if you go with your loose tees to wear for a trip.

Use quality luggage – Luggage is a vital thing for your travel. You would always want a luggage which would keep your clothing safe, keep you organized and at last your luggage should be able to take thumping here and there and still protect your gadgets. Luggage should be easy to carry and light in weight.

Comfortable shoes - Wearing comfortable shoes is as crucial as wearing a comfortable attire. You can never expect to have a comfortable journey wearing your heels or wedges or even your many straps boots. Wearing sports shoes & sneakers is the best option to go with other than slippers/floaters. Both slippers and shoes would be very comfortable for you to wear and remove whenever you wish without doing much work.

Some travelling tips and tricks that’ll help you a lot -

• Pack less: Do you really need six pairs of heels, an iron and 6 jeans? Travelling with the least luggage should be your goal. Take less and you’ll travel faster and easier if travelling by flight then even cheaper.

• Learn a little: Learning a new language never hurts. So learn few words o the local language and have the courage to use them. Just a few words will go a long way; locals tend to warm to those who try communicating to them in their own tongue.

• Hoodie: Always pack a hoodie in your luggage. Hooded tops make excellent travel garments, just slip up your hood to retreat from the world of noise and light when you want to sleep.

• Bring your earplugs: If silence is golden, then ear plugs are worth their weight in platinum. For a long trip, invest in some good noise cancelling headphones. They are worth every penny to tune out a noisy road, snoring man or chattering people.

• Pack reading stuff: Always pack some stuff that you can read on your long journey, be it a paperback or Kindle. Kindle are made for long travels, no more carrying heavy paperbacks, increasing your luggage weight and have many books to read.

• Roll your clothes while packing rather than folding them.
• Carry Sun glasses & Sun Screens to take care of yourselves from  intense sun beams
• Carry little extra cash: Always carry cash, while travelling. Not too much as it can get stolen and you’ll always have ATM to take out some cash. Carrying some cash is required as what if the ATM you go to stopped working or doesn’t have cash. So have some cash with you that you can use when necessary.

• Keep balm / Mosquito repellent: Balm not only soothes your sore muscles after a lot of travelling but also works as an insect repellent, mosquito repellent is other must have in the travel.

• Wake up early: Rise before sunrise, it’s a magical time for clicking photos due to soft diffused light. Have the best attractions to yourself while avoiding crowds.

• Don’t feel embarrassed: Even if you do something embarrassing, don’t feel embarrassed. Laugh at yourself with others. Don’t be afraid if things are screwed up. You will definitely look like a fool while travelling to new places. But it’s worth enjoying every moment.  

• Take a lot of photos: Great photos are ultimate souvenirs. You meet those people once so capture with your camera in a form of photo.

• Back up: Keep a backup of your documents like passport, driver’s license, etc. backup your files and photos of your computer on an external hard drive and online with some storage in the cloud. You never know when your laptop, wallet or luggage might get stolen.

• Get lost: Write down the name of your hotel so you can catch a taxi back if needed, then just pick up a direction and start walking. Explore the place on your own. You’ll get to see how people live and work in different regions, the actual part of the town with your own eyes rather than other tourist or someone else’s eyes.

• Eat local food: Going to a new place and not eating their local food, that’s absurd. Go, eat and explore their taste and delicacies.

• Break out of your comfort zone: Go on a solo trip. Break out of your comfort zone, meet new people, interact with them, learn from them and make some lifetime memories.
   

Well, we need to really work well before we start our unforgettable journey ….
Have a wonderful time!!!

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RAKHI - Know it all

It’s time of the year again where all brothers and sisters are extremely busy. Brothers, trying to find the perfect gift for their sweet sister and sisters finding or making an ideal Rakhi and waiting for presents. We’ve all celebrated this festival for years and years. As a kid, we waited for it for the gifts and the delicacies. 
Getting all grown up now, it’s about going home and spending time with family. Ever wondered why we celebrate Rakhi? What is it all about? When do we celebrate it? What are the legends associated with it? This little girl tying Rakhi to her brother also wondered of all this. Listen to their convo and find out all you wanna know about Rakhi.

“Bhai, why do I have to tie a thread to your wrist?”
“You have to, as we are celebrating Raksha Bandhan. On this day, you prepare a Rakhi thali or the Pooja Ki Thali with the Tilak, Diya, Sweets, and Rakhi. Then you apply tilak on my forehead and tie this Rakhi on my wrist. After that, you feed me sweets and I give you gifts.”

“Rakhi? But what is the significance of Rakhi?”
“Significance? Well, the main concept of rakhi is protection. The word Raksha means protection, and Bandhan is a verb to tie. Just like the thread that priest tied on our wrist yesterday that was also for protection. It is not necessary that you tie Rakhi only to your blood-related Bhai. You can find any boy and adopt him as your brother by tying a Rakhi. This ritual transcends the boundaries of the family and strengthens the bond of love.”

“Ok. So when is Rakhi celebrated?”
“We celebrate Rakhi on the full moon in the month of Shraavana in the Hindi lunar calendar.”

“Does this have any mythological reference also??”
“Yes. It does have mythological reference also. According to Bhavishya Purana, once Indra, the Kind of Devas was facing defeat at the hands of Vritra Ashura. So Deva Guru Brihaspati advised him to wear a Rakhi as a protection against enemies (demons). Accordingly, a “Madadiyu” a sacred thread was tied on the wrist of Indra. When Indra entered the battlefield with the “Madadiyu” tied on his wrist, the devil starts off to evolve to lose and lost the battle.
As per another mythological allusion, Rakhi was intended to be the worship of the sea-god Varuna. The offering of coconuts, ceremonial bathing, and fairs at waterfronts accompany this festival. Usually, fishermen offer coconut and Rakhi to the sea god Varuna- this festival is known as Nariyal Poornima.”

“Who tied the first Rakhi?”
“There are many tales as to who tied the first Rakhi. It is tough to pinpoint exactly when this joyous occasion originated.
This one comes from the battle between Alexander the Greek King, and Porus, the Hindu King. Wife of Alexander sent a sacred thread to Porus asking him not to kill her husband in the battle. In the battle when Porus was about the deliver the final blow he saw rakhi on his hand and restrained himself from attacking Alexander personally.
Then there is one of King Humayun and Queen Kamravati. It is said that the queen Amravati the queen of Chittoor had sent a rakhi to Humayun to protect her from Bahadur Shah. Humayun was engaged in the expedition against Bengal but returned as soon as he can but he was too late. Chittoor had already fallen the Rani had immolated herself as per the Rajput custom in Jauhar.”

“Does Rakhi have many names??”
“Yes. Rakhi is known by different names. Rakhi is known by many regional names as there are different regions and different languages. In north as well as west India, it is celebrated as “Rakhi Poornima”. In south India, it is often called ‘Avani Avittam’ or ‘Upakarmam’. In the Western Ghats, the festival is known as ‘Nariyal Poornima’. All of the central India celebrate the jubilant festival of Rakhi is celebrated as ‘Kajari Poornima’. 

“Is Rakhi only tied to boys, don’t girls get Rakhi tied to their wrists?”
“Lumba Rakhi’ where one tie Rakhi on the wrist of their sister-in-law. This practice is done mostly in Rajasthan and in Gujarat. In some families which only have daughters, sisters often tie Rakhi on each other’s wrist too. Who says only brothers can protect you?”

“So, is Rakhi only celebrated our country?”
“No. although it is widely celebrated in India countries like Nepal, Mauritius as well as Hindu and Sikh community in Pakistan also celebrate it.”

“Is Rakhi celebrated only by Hindus?”
“No. Rakhi is a secular festival. It is celebrated by many other culture people also. Jain culture also has the tradition of tying the Rakhi. Jain priests give sacred threads to devotees. In Sikh, ‘Rakhadhi’ is important. In Nepal, Raksha Bandhan is known as ‘Janai Purnima’ or ‘Rishitarpani’, the ceremony of tying a rakhi is celebrated by both Hindus and Buddhists.”

“What is so special about Rakhi? We have so many different festivals? So why is Rakhi so special?”
“Rakhi is special because there are no boundaries when it comes to region or religion. It brings men and women together who may not be blood-related to feel like family. It promotes peace, harmony, love and care between individuals, irrespective of which region or religion you belong to.”

“How do you decided what kind of a gift you want to give to your sister?”
“Well, that is a tough question. We must put a lot of thought in getting you gifts. For example, if a person is to give a gift to his sister who is in college, then he can gift her a good dress or T-shirt or traditional dress like Anarkali or a makeup kit. If his sister is young kid, he can gift her chocolates, dresses or toys”

“Have Rakhi changed in years gone??”
“Yes. There are many changing trends in Rakhi. The way of celebrating Rakhi has changed with the change of time. But main traditional festivities remain same as they were years back.
There are numerous designs, shapes, and materials in which Rakhi is available. Few types of Rakhi include - cartoon, sandalwood, musical, floral, zari rakhi etc., however, still a simple thread Rakhi with stones/beads etc. is favorite of many brothers.
As Rakhi have such a huge variety so does the Rakhi thalis. People embellish these Rakhi thalis with roli-chawal, Rakhi threads, and flowers.”

“We get a message from every festival we celebrate, so, what is the message we get from Rakhi??”
“Rakhi conveys an intrinsic message of universal brotherhood and sisterhood. It conveys a message that has socio-spiritual significance underscoring the need for nurturing of positive qualities, purity in thought, word and deed. Raksha Bandhan symbolizes the unmatched bond of love, respect, and care.”
The most awaited festival for sisters is Rakhi. The joy of festivals lies in food, new clothes and getting dressed up. You can wear any kind of clothing you want on Rakhi there is no “compulsion” in wearing traditional for Rakhi."

Chilled-out look
Are you one of those sisters who dress up in a chilled out, laid back way? If yes then this look is for you. Wear any casual outfit, team it up with a neck-piece with multiple chains and voila! You are good to go for the Rakhi.

Modern look
If you are the kind of sister who likes attention and making heads turn to look second time again and admire. This is the look for you. Wear modern look and be the talk of your cousins get together. 

Traditional look
If you are among the people who think that traditional is the best. This is the look for you. With Anarkalis, Sarees, and Lehenga in so many different colors, patterns, textures, it gives you a huge variety to choose from along with your accessories.

Boho look
 If you are someone, who is always willing to try new things and new colors, prints, tassels, this is you! This look is for someone who is always willing to do experiments with their outfits, who want to try something fun, not for the ones who want something safe. Embrace your inner personality with these styles.
Know the festival you celebrate. Have a happy time buying gifts and making or buying Rakhis.

            HAPPY RAKHI!!!

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Rajasthan Art & Craft

Rajasthan (literally, ‘Lands of kings’) is India’s largest state by area. It is among the richest states in the country as far as the field of art and craft is considered. It is well known all over the world for its hand-printed textiles, furniture, leatherwork, jewelry, painting, pottery and metal craft. The ethnic aura envelops even the simplest forms making each one a collector’s delight.

Fabrics of Rajasthan

Rajasthani fabrics are decorated with wonderfully vibrant colors. They use fabrics like cotton, silk, and wool to make attractive designs and textures.

TIE & DYE:

• This art is called ‘Bandhej’. In this the clothes are dyed along with the undyed points, giving a distinctive look. This is a highly skilled art.
• A DE-starched cotton fabric (it can be done by soaking it in water overnight) is used for ‘Bandhej’. Next, the design & patterns of the motif like flower, leaves etc. is prepared. Now the motif is tied according to your pattern with the help of threads. 
• The beauty of the technique is in the fact the each & every way you tie will get you a new design every time.
• The complete cloth along with tied motifs is dyed now. After dying, washing and drying the fabric, all the knots are opened and the fabric is ready with extravagant patterns.

BLOCK PAINTING:

Rajasthan is the heart of block printing. Most of the work is done by hand only. The art of block printing & dyeing is connected with home furnishing and fabric for personal wear. The main centers for the block printing are Sanganer and Bagru.

Jewelry of Rajasthan

Rajasthan is famous especially for silver ornaments. Each part of Rajasthan is known for its own distinct style of silver jewelry. The craftsmen of Jaipur, known for their high-quality enamel work, use enamel colors such as red, blue, white, black, green, yellow and golden which are derived from minerals.
Creatively crafted pieces of jewelry use combinations of enameling and Kundan work which are unique to Rajasthan. Kundan is the art of setting stones in jewelry.

Lac & Glass:

• Lac has mainly used bangles and decorative items. Lac bangles are made in bright colors. These bangles and decorative items are inlaid with glass and colored stone.
• The process of making lac bangles includes quite less technology & need a very less space. Making of lac is a quite tiresome process which involves a lot step to produce the shellacs. Lac shellacs are melted in vessel & when it is in a semi-molten state, the mixture is stirred & attached on the end of wooden stick
• Then the lac attached to the wooden is slowly heated when the lac starts heating & softening it is pressed against a metal plate (Silla), simultaneously in intervals with a flat wooden tool locally known as HATTA.
• When lac is warm & soft, the colored lac of the desired color is heated & melted & then it is evenly rubbed along lac to achieve the color. After applying the color it is craftsman roll out the lac till a required length & thickness.
• The lac is converted into the shape of bangles and after that craftsman inserts a completed lac bangle into a wooden mandrel to give it a proper size & shape.
• Rajasthan is rich in jewelry, each area having its own unique style. Some of the traditional designs are rakhri, tirnaniyan, bala, bajuband, gajra, gokhru, jod, etc.

Furniture and Wood Carving

Rajasthan excels in the art of making “antique furniture”. Doors and windows, wooden jharokhas, tables with cast iron jaalis, sideboards, chairs, benches, jhoolas or swings, and dressers are made to resemble the furniture that was in vogue in Havelis a hundred years ago.
Marble tops for tables are also popular, and screens are available with both painted panels and brass embellishments. The range of paintings of the Rajasthani furniture is one of the special features of Rajasthani furniture.
These paintings are flexible having very distinctive styles of their own as these paintings are examples of rich craftsmanship. The color scheme is mainly traditional, bringing the impact of rich cultural heritage to the forefront.

Puppets:

Inexpensive souvenirs, they recall more easily than most other things when it comes to memories of a state of chivalrous kings and beautiful queens. Painted wooden heads, hands made simply by stuffing rags or cotton into the sleeve of the dress, with painted expressions, arched eyebrows, mustache for men and nose ring for women and large expressive eyes on their face, puppets are draped with dresses made from sequined old fabrics.

Leather-wear

The hides of dead animals have never been put to better use than in Rajasthan whether as Mojari jutis (the embroidered footwear) or as saddles, bags, and pouches. Jaipur and Jodhpur are the traditional centers for jutis.
Rajasthan with a treasure of history, picturesque architecture, magnificent art & culture and the bewitching landscape is an unparalleled destination.

Originally posted on "https://www.indzola.com/"

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