May 14, 2013

Lot of Hard Works

My cousin brother called up one evening and asked me,

“Bro, you are free tonight? I want to introduce someone to you whom you might have nearly forgotten”

“Well, who could be that?” I wondered. He assured me that it would be someone who is related to me.

I was puzzled. A relative, who is so important? But leaving all the worries aside, when I followed him to a flat in the city, I met this person, but I could not recognize him.

But, he at once identified me, and said,

“Ah I remember you, you used to go school every morning carrying your school bag and water bottle. But you were very timid and slow. I can see now that you have improved a lot.”

But I was clueless about this person who knows very personal things about my childhood.

When explained, I identified him. He was my second cousin sister’s husband. I was remembering him. He used to stand in the front portion of his house carrying his little daughter every morning watching us going to school. We never acquainted, and were not very close, but with his facial features, I could still remember him.

When I recognized him, I didn't hide my curiosity, “Oh brother I remember you. It’s nearly twenty years since we met last time.”

He was carrying out some entrepreneurship in the city. He was building a very big hospital coordinating some charitable organizations.

I asked him about his success. He was not very eloquent, but still he was successful in making me understand how he came that far.

He remembered the hardships he faced while trying to achieve something. He was an employee of a bank.

During free times, he used to do small businesses. But one day his business was broken. He had to resign the job to save himself from his clients.

He ran away to a different place, where he tried to set up a small business, and tried to bring it up. He always had a vision, a dream, and that dream helped him to go forward even in the middle of adversities.

In between all these troubles, he used to visit his family, and by little by little he paid all his debts. Then only he could show his face among the people.

He earned the trust of the charitable organizations. He became successful in contract works. And when I met him he was in the construction works of the biggest hospital in South India.

I still feel that my brother’s success is a model for me. With courage, confidence and trust in the Almighty, he overcame all the difficulties and succeeded in life.

I wish to get my story published in Chicken Soup for the Indian Entrepreneurs Soul in association with BlogAdda.com

Apr 14, 2013

My First Jabong Online Shopping Experience

Nowadays everyone lives online. A lion share of our lives is spent at the enormity of web world where we like and share. Online shopping is very important when the web living is coming into the picture. We go to a shopping website, browse through the product portfolio, order something we like to purchase, pay using plastic money or by means of net banking, and within a few days a parcel containing our order is dispatched at our doorstep by a representative of the shopping website.

Recently I had such an online shopping experience through Jabong. Jabong is one of the most prominent and reliable service providers as long as online shopping in India is concerned. Jabong Online Shop is very wide, offering a huge diversity of products, customized as in different departments. Jabong has sections for men, for women, and for kids. They also have offerings in home and furniture, and in sports.

My experience had begun when I started searching for a dress item for me. I found that Jabong has a large collection of shoes, clothes, accessories, watches, bags, fragrances and jewellery for men. You can find similar products in women and kids section as well, perhaps more.

Initially, I wanted to purchase a short kurta from the Ethnic Clothing category, but later I accidentally stuck at the picture of a model wearing Cobal Blue Sweat Shirt from Phosphorous. Everyone knows my fascination for blue and its different shades, and hence it took no time for me to get zeroed in on that particular brand.

The prize was medium, but imagine, Jabong has offered 50% discount for that particular product, and I ordered it for just Rs.600. They offer variety of sizes for each and every clothing material (and for other items also the size diversity is commendable). There is a scale chart also given in the website, which helps us to test if the size we choose is fitting.

Jabong offers pay cash on delivery, free shipping, 30 day free returns, and round the clock customer support. To pay, we can use online means, like Credit Cards, debit cards, Net banking, Gift vouchers, etc. Cash on delivery option also is there, but with a small fee. Another curious fact is that creating an account in Jabong is a matter of few clicks. They also offer 100% genuine products.

I received a call from marketing personnel from Jabong the next day morning, who verified about my order. I had given my office address for delivery. I was expecting the parcel on Monday, but the dispatch executive called me on the previous Saturday. He said, he could give me the parcel at my location. He waited for a few minutes till I check if it was my correct size, and simply, it was perfect fit for me.

You can see me wearing the dress in the picture here. Next time, when you buy something online, I assure 100% satisfaction if it is Jabong that you select for the service.

Apr 9, 2013

It’s Normal for Brothers

I still remember the days when I used to wake up enthusiastically in the early mornings and ride on my bike to a fitness centre located not very far away during my growing days in Trivandrum. I had friends there, who used to wait for me in the entrance, or in the locality of the ground where we did jogging and warming exercises before stepping into the roughness of the gymnasium. We used to be the gym mates, who usually help each other when one of us needed a support on the bench press bar, while doing heavy exercises.

Every day on our way back, after working out nearly for one or more hours, I had a regular stopover at a road side open tea shop. Despite of my gym mate’s warning on eating oily delicacies kept open to the air since the breakout of the morning, and tea prepared in not a very healthy manner, I found my craze for those goodies were getting increased. It became my habit to stop there every morning, and order a tea, while munching something oily by leaning on my bike which was parked close to the tea shop.

This particular day also, I did the same thing. While drinking the tea, seeing the college girls and working women walking to the nearby bus stop I found that I was late that day, at least by half an hour. I saw a few of girls walked past me. But, a few minutes later, my attention was diverted to the direction where the girls walked, when I heard some noises from there.

Just like every other onlooker, I also rushed to the spot, expecting something accident-like. But, I saw the girl who just passed me was standing there, all in tears in the middle of the crowd, while a local ruffian with a bloody nose tried to escape from another young man who tried to punch him.

From the explanation from the girl, what I deduced was something like this. This girl used to go to a textile shop nearby, where she worked as salesgirl. Every day she was ogled and became the victim of the lewd comments passed by this dirty ruffian. The first few days, she just tried to forget about the misbehavior by this jobless guy. But, when she felt that he was trying to break the limits, she complained to her brother.

On this particular day, this brother waited just among us in the pretext of going somewhere or having a morning tea from the tea shop. He saw her sister coming, and she signaled him with a move of her eyebrows that the villain was waiting just a few paces ahead. Her brother put an eye on him, while sipping the last drops of tea. When he noticed the ugly mannerisms from the guy, and the obscene comments his dirty tongue just delivered, he put the glass somewhere, and attacked the hooligan with clenched fist.

The first punch itself was on his nose. So he couldn’t see where the punches were coming in. He knew he was being beaten up by someone very energetic, while a few people tried to separate them. The girl, all in tears, explained everything to the curious crowd, and the gathering was dissolved in a few minutes, when the local chap got a warning from the law-abiding crowd on his misbehavior for the final time.

I still remember her brother’s timely involvement and the risk he took in order to save his sisters pride. Salute to him! He is a real soldier who stood for women.

This post is a part of #Soldierforwomen in association with BlogAdda.com

Mar 30, 2013

Love in March 30: Long Live Black Dog Scotch

[Continued from Love in March 29: Fine Dining with Black Dog Deluxe]

While packing my things on the next day morning, I wondered about the supreme quality of Black Dog Scotch Whisky, one of the finest scotch whiskies in the world. It was Black Dog Scotch, and a heated argument about the quality international brand, which connected me and Diane together. We became friends, and even more than that.

We started our friendship by talking about Black Dog Scotch Whisky, its varieties, qualities, taste and aroma, and gradually we got attracted together, became more than friends. Hats off to the international brand, for its ability to keep people glued to each other, especially in the backdrop of a very luxurious settings.

I heard a knock at the door, when I opened it, Diane smiled at me with her bag in her hand.

“Diane, what is the plan?” I asked.

“Same as your plan”, she said and continued, “I am going with you. I will follow you, wherever you are going.”

I was really happy. Living a life with Diane was like a dream-come-true.

The hotel had arranged a car to drop at the air port. While on the car, she said,

“I am leaving this beautiful place with lot of memories. The moments I spent with you in the evenings, sipping a Black Dog Scotch, can never be forgotten. I am going to associate your memories with the aroma and taste of Black Dog Scotch.”

“That’s wonderful Diane”, I said. “Even I have your memories when I sip a glassful of Black dog Scotch. The aroma of Black Dog Scotch is so invigorating and soothing, and I feel your presence when I see a bottle of it.”

She unzipped her bag, and pulled out a pack of four of the Black Dog variants. One bottle of Black Dog Quintessence, Black Dog Reserve, Black Dog Deluxe, and Black Dog Centenary each are neatly arranged in it.