Tag: summer

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Books Lite Blogs

Five books for your summer reading list

‘The Rape Trial’ begins with the revelation that, many years ago, Rahul Satyabhagi had indeed raped Avni Rambha…writes Siddhi Jain.

Reading is one of the most joyous activities to the people especially during the pandemic era. From poetry on the vibrance of ‘letting go’, a reference guide on married lives, and a sprinkle of self-love and even mythological fiction, these five books by forthcoming authors are on our bookshelf this summer.

‘Ceasing to Disown’ by Sunny Ramesh Sadnani

‘Ceasing to Disown’ is the very persona of the similar antithesis that life is. It is a collection of poetries that serve as a reminder of what we have found solace in or maybe continue to hopelessly endure, not for a few moments or days, but for perhaps years and decades and what we choose to not let go regardless of the consequences. Maybe even feel vibrant about it! In this book, Sunny has attempted to relay his emotions with respect to family, parents, romantic alliances, failure, redemptions, loneliness, anger, sex, the natural environment, diversity. And then some more.

‘The Rape Trial’ by Bidisha Ghosal

‘The Rape Trial’ begins with the revelation that, many years ago, Rahul Satyabhagi had indeed raped Avni Rambha. Rahul has long since been acquitted and Avni had left the country for her peace of mind. Now, it looks like he’s about to get away with it again. Rhea, Amruta and Hitaishi are beyond furious. What unfolds is a thriller worth a read.

‘The Last War and Other Stories’ by Sambhit Daspatnaik

‘The Last War and Other Stories’ is a collection of science fiction stories written by Sambit Daspatnaik. In the main story “The Last War”, the author takes his readers back to a time of post Mahabharata War era, featuring the descendants of the Pandavas, a mammoth invasion by the Gandharvas and a desperate attempt by the protagonists Senapati Agrasen and princess Charulata to save the city of Moenjo and Hariapa. The rest of the short science fiction stories cover different genres of sci-fi from space travel, solar systems to alien planets.

‘Love Your Wife’ by Soumitra Singh Thakur

An insightful reference manual to have a joyous married life. This companion of love and devotion will invoke deep thoughts in you. It will reveal the true husband inside you, a husband, who you don’t show to anyone, not even to your wife, maybe. This book will share such an insightful perspective of human relations between a husband and a wife that will give you an outcome of joyous married life in this materialistic world. If used effectively, this book will serve as a lifelong practical reference manual and a workbook for all the world’s erring husbands and all eligible bachelors to efficiently handle all the difficult phases of their married lives.


‘Self Love — The Power Within You’ by Aaira Kaurr

This book makes you aware of a miracle ingredient necessary for your flowering and becoming the best version of yourself, self love. If you don’t love your own self first, you can’t love anyone else, be it a person , a profession or anything else. No matter, how much effort you put in or how good or brilliant you are, you will be disappointed in the end in all your ventures, in spite of your high achievements. Without self love, others will enjoy and exploit your talents, you won’t. This book not only explains the concept of self love, but gives you a systematic framework for imbibing it in your life. In fact you already have it in you, you just need to turn it on.

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Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Pick some summer cool furniture

Undoubtedly, it brightens up the room and soaks away the darkness of wintery days. Light shades like ‘Honey’ and ‘Teak’ will do the trick…writes Puja Gupta.

Furniture is the face of an awesome home. This summer season is all about staying at home (with lockdowns across the country). Hence, revamping your abode with some furniture trends helps to feel enjoy the vibe of season. Here, Michelle Williamson, Interior Designer, WoodenStreet, talks about some picture-perfect ideas for this summer year 2021.

Less is More

The minimalist style always tops the list of trends in the summer. Minimalism in the furniture refers to the characteristic features of simple, clean lines and sleekness in the design. So, bring out the essential furniture pieces like a sofa, coffee table, lounge chair, or even bed with the simple and sophisticated look to make your home inviting and also a relaxing spot. You can also add comfortable and soft fabric cushions to feel fresh and lively.

Soothing Shades of Furniture

Whether you just want a seasonal update or to channelise the summer all the long year, this trend featuring light-hued and soothing shades works to make the case. Undoubtedly, it brightens up the room and soaks away the darkness of wintery days. Light shades like ‘Honey’ and ‘Teak’ will do the trick. In addition vibrant and rich hues of upholstery add to a welcoming summery days to your home.

Furniture for Super Refreshing Mocktails and Cocktails

Your favorite ‘Mojito’ and cocktails, must need a properly designated station. Also, a bar at home has been useful for many during the lockdown. So, becoming a bartender, the aroma of fresh drinks, and sipping on coolers are a great way to spend the evenings. A proper bar helps to preserve the flavour of drinks in your collection and keeps you cool during hot days.

Cheerful Summer Balcony

Who doesn’t love to sit in their backyard or balcony, especially during the evening or enjoy the chirping of birds at dawn? Balcony furniture allows you to enjoy some time in nature, soak up some vitamin D or enjoy the cooler breeze at night. Also, it allows you to unwind after a hard day with a cup of coffee in one hand and a book in the other. Not only this, you can enjoy a weekend breakfast in an outdoor dining set.

Symbol of Comfort and Bright Decor

During sunny days, printed fabric sofas is a smart move. Because it has specific properties of absorbing sweat, resulting in a comfortable lounge experience. Choose sheer comfortable and breathable materials such as cotton or velvet for the upholstery of the sofas. Along with this, there is a wide assortment of colourful fabric options to welcome the bright season. Florals are an evergreen option and never go out of trend. Also, they are well suited to either compliment or contrast in the decors theme.

Let the Light In

Summers are all about putting away dark and nubby things and letting the sunshine into your home. Swapping dark curtains, add natural window treatments, hang bold statement mirrors to let the light in.

Mirrors reflect natural light instead of absorbing it. So, place large accent mirrors in your entryway or in your bedroom, to enlighten up your room, it also helps to create an illusion of the large space in a crunched home.

Lastly Don’t Forget the Swing Chairs

Swing chairs are undeniably the best in lockdown, no matter how much space is available a swing can hang anywhere and helps one enjoy their siesta, coffee or book. It’s the right place for “me-time” after the long day of work. The wooden jhula or hammocks are surprisingly cosy and amazing to take small and refreshing naps. Add a soft fabric cushion adds a zing to your summery furniture style.

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Health Lite Blogs Parenting

Steps to comfort kids in summer

Probably the most important summer tip — more so for Indians baking under the tropical sun. Apply sunscreen early, and often, especially if the children spend time outdoors…writes Siddhi Jain.

Proper caring for kids is a tough task for parents in all seasons. It’s Summertime and temperatures are already soaring close to 40 degrees Celsius. The sun is scorching and humidity is hitting us in the face like a sauna.

Schools are off and while in addition to lockdowns, many children are home because of summer vacations and online classes, but parents still need to ensure protection of little ones from ill effects of the season. Follow these simple tips by Manoj Jain, Director, Scram.in to navigate through these sticky weeks like a pro and keep your children safe and comfortable this summer.

Stick to shade for the tiny tots

Keep newborns, especially those under six months, out of direct and indirect sunlight. Young infants have not developed sweat glands, meaning they have no natural way off cooling off. Add in the fact children’s body temperatures can rise up to five times faster than adults, and babies have no way to tell you they’re uncomfortable! The perfect way to prevent heatstroke is by keeping them in the shade – under a tree or an umbrella – even when outdoors.

Make hats mandatory

A lightweight wide brimmed hat is perfect to keep your little ones cooler when they’re playing outdoors. It not only blocks out the brightness, they protect otherwise exposed hair, eyes, face, ears and neck from sun damage and harmful UV rays.

Cover up in comfort clothing

Stick to natural cotton outfits for your precocious tots this season. They’ll likely be sweating buckets while running around causing mayhem, and loose, light clothing not only allows their skin to breathe, but also absorbs moisture from the skin, preventing pesky itchy heat rashes.

Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!

Keep their water bottles filled and handy at all times. Not only does drinking water often replenish lost fluids due to excessive sweating, taking a few gulps every now and then makes them feel instantly cooler even from the inside.

Slather on the SPF

Probably the most important summer tip — more so for Indians baking under the tropical sun. Apply sunscreen early, and often, especially if the children spend time outdoors. Sunscreen protects your little ones’ delicate skin from the harmful (and sometimes cancer-causing) ultra-violet rays of the sun. Go for a brand that offers a minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 30, contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, has broad-spectrum coverage (against UVA and UVB rays), and is water-resistant. Make sure to lotion them up at least 30 minutes before sun exposure, and don’t forget to top it up every few hours, as a sunscreen’s SPF is only fully effective for up to two hours after you put it on.

Keep a close eye

Lastly, remember to always lookout for signs of heat illness. No matter our best efforts, sometimes life and kids can get the better of us. So pay attention to these tell-tale warnings that can signal an oncoming problem. Signs of heat exhaustion in children may include elevated body temperature; cool, clammy skin; goosebumps; fainting, dizziness or weakness; headache; increased sweating; increased thirst; irritability; muscle cramps; and nausea and/or vomiting.

If your notice any of the above, it’s best to immediately bring your child into the shade, cool them off with wet towels or sponges, and encourage them to drink fluids with electrolytes. Don’t hesitate to call your doctor when in doubt!

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Food Health Lite Blogs

Cooling and nourishing diet drinks for summer

Muskmelon contains potassium which makes it beneficial for your blood pressure numbers. High fibre and water content of muskmelon also contributes to cooling down body systems and to manage blood pressure…writes Dr. Manoj Kutteri.

People love to have the best drinks during summer. When you spend considerable time in the scorching heat, it can cause detrimental effects on your health. As the body temperature increases, it leads to profuse sweating, signs of dehydration, sticky skin, tiredness, headache, dizziness, nausea, cramps, and a quick, weak pulse.

With majority of us currently staying at home during this summer amid the COVID-19 pandemic, staying on top of our health is a priority more so than usual. In order to survive the summer and its adverse effect on our health, we need to keep ourselves cool and healthy with a cooling and nourishing diet.

An adequate intake of water and avoiding food that is dry, salty and fried is essential. Additionally this 7-day calendar for helps care for your body during the peak of summer.


Ashgourd Juice
Ash gourd is a great detoxifying agent, and is best when consumed early morning on an empty stomach. It is an excellent summer cooler and helps to hydrate your body. The juice can absorb all the toxins, germs and contamination that may have accumulated through the course of a day. It also has the potential to flush waste out of our body. Ashgourd juice can also be combined with lime and turmeric for added benefits.


Watermelon, Muskmelon
Watermelon has high water content along with a good amount of lycopene, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, amino acid, antioxidants and is low in sodium and calories. It helps to lower inflammation and reduce oxidative stress. Remember, as watermelon is slightly acidic in nature, eating it on an empty stomach and late-night should be avoided. Serving size for an adult is two cups a day.

Muskmelon contains potassium which makes it beneficial for your blood pressure numbers. High fibre and water content of muskmelon also contributes to cooling down body systems and to manage blood pressure.

Cucumber

Cucumber is inexpensive, packed with water and helps to detoxify your body overall body. It is an excellent coolant. This cool and crisp energizing green will stave off problems of constipation; enhance your immunity and tame inflammation while also calming sunburn. Along with cleansing your body, the presence of silicon and sulphur in cucumber is excellent to support hair growth and volume. The best way to consume cucumber is adding it in salads or drinking cucumber juice.


Yogurt and buttermilk
Loaded with the goodness of healthy bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, yogurt and other fermented food helps in brain development and is great to relieve anxiety. It also offers gut-friendly microorganisms that aid in the process of digestion during summers. Eating yoghurt helps in reducing chronic inflammation which is responsible for anxiety, stress, and depression. You can consume curd in the form of smoothies, buttermilk, sweet lassis and raita. Drinking buttermilk helps to cool down your body and improve metabolism. It is also loaded with vitamins, and minerals which help to restore your body’s natural energy if you are feeling drained by the heat.


Coconut Water
Coconut water benefits by maintaining electrolyte stability in your body. It’s an exceptional summer drink to combat hot weather by keeping you hydrated, and also facilitates in boosting your digestive ability. Additionally, it helps to foster cell growth, regulates blood pressure and above all performs the function of a natural diuretic.

Herbal teas
Herbs and spices are great to manage excess body heat. This includes Hibiscus tea, Chamomile teas, Mint juices, Amla juices; Orange juice, lime juice etc are very healthy during this season.
Aam Panna

It is a vegan drink made from unripe green mangoes. Aam panna has a tangy, sweet taste, which can be flavoured with cardamom or mint etc. It is also rich in various acids, which help regulate the liver and fight diseases like jaundice. The black salt and jeera powder defines the digestive properties of aam panna, and mint helps in keeping the body cool, which makes it perfect for the summer season.

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Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Summer styling ideas for home

Summertime means that you’ll be sitting outside a lot — maybe on a porch or a terrace or a veranda. If your patio furniture looks worn out, don’t worry. …writes N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe.

Homes should be eligible to admit any kind of season. The temperature is gradually starting to rise. Soon, we’ll all be seeking asylum from the scorching heat, and while it might not be feasible to jet off to the comfort of cozy hill stations or breezy beaches thanks to the pandemic, one can transform your home into a summer-friendly abode.

Bhawana Bhatnagar, Founder, CASA Exotique, shares just the right ideas to get you started.

Keep It Light With White

If you want your home to look cool, clean, and classy, you cannot go wrong with white. From walls to windows to furniture, paint everything in white. You can then adorn your house with creamy and sandy textiles to achieve that chic look.

Go natural with flowers and plants

There are few things more comforting than the lap of mother nature, and if summer heat is preventing you from going outside, you can bring nature inside your home. Decorate your abode with plants and flowers — real, painted, or printed.

Add some funk with colours

Are you tired of the boring colour scheme of your home? Then this is the perfect time for a makeover. Mix and match different colours from a colour palette to create a vibrant, funky scheme. It gives you an energy boost every time you enter through the door.

Change the curtains

Gauzy panels not only add privacy and shield you from the sun, but they also keep away mosquitoes and other insects that breed during the summer season.

Paint your furniture

Summertime means that you’ll be sitting outside a lot — maybe on a porch or a terrace or a veranda. If your patio furniture looks worn out, don’t worry. Just grab a brush and a bucket of paint — and voila! Make sure to pick out light, cool colours to enjoy the authentic summer vibe.

Use mirrors to create space

If you live in a metropolitan area and are running short of space, try hanging a mirror or two on your walls. Mirrors create an illusion of space and can make the surroundings feel more open and welcoming.

Add a canopy above your bed

Summer time is the time to live like royalty, and what better way to feel like a king/queen than hanging a canopy over your bed. Every time you open your eyes, you are greeted by a wonderful sight. An elegantly designed canopy hanging over your bed can emulate a series of ocean waves breaking against a quiet shore. If you’re sold on the idea, then we’d recommend using a white eyelet as it is a great fabric for canopies.

Decorate the headboard

Depending on your taste, you can decorate your headboard in an infinite number of ways. We would recommend either going all white or adding greenery with a statement piece. A botanical headboard would be a perfect addition to your bedroom decor.

You can either use these tips as guidelines or you can embark on an adventure by letting loose your creativity. Sky is the limit!

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Fashion Lite Blogs

Make home refreshing and summer-ready

Summers call out for cool-refreshing drinks. Especially when the temperature heats up, one tends to find solace in the cool drinks…writes Puja Gupta.

Seasons have to be rotated without any hampers. A new season — whether summer or winter — always brings new vibes, new colours, and gives you an opportunity to redo your surroundings as per your mood.

Here are some ways to make your home refreshing and summer-ready by Raghunandan Saraf, CEO and Founder, Saraf Furniture.

Colourful outdoor setting:

We love summer sundowners, particularly when the gathering moves outside. Pick a comfortable open air seating set that encourages discussion and lingering. Some bright outside cushions and throws for are an absolute necessity. You can also spice up the setting with hint of string/ fairy lights. Consider string lights as mood, rather than task lighting for magical space.

Turn your porch into a lounge for summer evenings:

On the off chance that your house is lacking in space, transform your porch where you can simply unwind. With the correct furnishings and embellishments, your patio can give your little home an additional eating space. Giving your front entryway a coloured makeover adds additional style to your yard and a point of interest for your new outdoor space.

Amp up the bar station:

Summers call out for cool-refreshing drinks. Especially when the temperature heats up, one tends to find solace in the cool drinks. For the season, fresh and fruity summer cocktails deserve a dedicated station. You could always turn that little empty corner, or an otherwise unused area in your house as a make-shift bar station. As one says, ‘every party house needs a fantastic, spilling-over bar’.

Re-arrange Furniture:

The manner in which you utilise your home in the winters versus summers is most likely to be different. Winters mean more evenings cozied up with the TV or having individuals over for occasion parties, so the furniture mirrors that. In the summer, children are bound to play computer games or read in their rooms. Moving your furniture around prepares your home for a comfy summer. Beanbags by the shelves encourage reading and lounge chairs outdoors helps you keep an eye on the kids while they play.

Add summer scents into your House:

Probably the most ideal approach to freshen up your home for the mid-year is getting summer fragrances. Regardless of whether you love the solace of a candle or you incline toward scented oils, summer aromas can light up your state of mind. Search for brilliant, clean aromas like lemon and orange. Or then again, in case you’re a flower person, pick spring-prepared scents like lilac or rose.

Assuming spring is a period for recharging, summer is a period for basically enjoying your hard-work. By preparing your home, you can shake out the dust and laziness of colder climate and love your space in a bright, new, vaporous way.

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Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Be fresh and stylish in summer

Summer is a good time to keep you hair off the neck and shoulders. Short hair for the summer is a trend that’s here to stay….writes N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe.

Some people not at all love the summer season only due to the skin allergies that accompany with it. Bang in the middle of summer we need to remind ourselves that our self-care routine needs a revamp. Swati Gupta, Director and Head of Creative Development — Bodycraft Salon & Spa, shares some of the major trends that we’re going to see this summer which will be rooted in wellness and style.

Dewy Skin is in! : With all the dehydration and oil build-up that one normally experiences in the summer, it only makes sense to go easy on the makeup and focus on skin care. On and off the runway, dewy skin with minimal make up and lots of glow is what we’ll see. Fresh interventions like the Hydra Medi Facial or Caviar Facial will help the skin glow from within.

The beauty ritual of exfoliating.

Shorter is better: Summer is a good time to keep you hair off the neck and shoulders. Short hair for the summer is a trend that’s here to stay. If you do not wish to part with your hair, go for light layers and hairstyles that incorporate braids.

Colour and more colour: Bold colours are the biggest trend of summer 2021. Bright eyeliner with minimal makeup gives you the perfect opportunity to play with colour and keep the make-up light. Nails are a fun, non-committal way to experiment with colour. Neon shades hot off the runway and to everyday style with bright nails making the perfect colour statement. Or you could go with something slightly more adventurous like a bold hair colour to be cool in the hot months.

Skincare tips for busy brides.

Spa days: With the year that has been, a spa day might be more of a necessity than a trend. Treatments with light ingredients olive oil, wine or chocolate are ideal for the summer. Choose a scrub to get rid of dead skin. Mani-Pedi’s with a summer touch are all the rage right now. We’re talking mango and avocado treatments, Vitamin C rich treatments like cherry and sugarcane spa are trending.

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