MISHIKRAFTS- A LAUNCH

BY MADHUMITHA NATARAJAN

Shopping, especially for women, is undoubtedly the best stress-buster. But sadly we live in an era where many are gradually migrating to online shopping. A handful of santhes are organized in cosmopolitan Bengaluru every now and then, but they fail to attract too many visitors.

I happened to bump into one such santhe a few days back. It was organized by MishiKrafts and exhibited a variety of hand-made specialties. The best part, everything was dirt cheap. It was then and there that I decided to write about this one, and I guess I’ll be helping a few with some great gifting ideas!

I would call it a neighborhood santhe, because it was organized in an apartment building corridor; it gave me the feel of ‘home-shopping’, not your home of course. Though  the santhe wasn’t too spacious, one wouldn’t complain as it kept the shoppers in a close-knit gathering, interacting with each other and appreciating each others’ picks. I was surprised at the kind of collection this place had. It practically covered everything that a street-shopper would dole out his/her bucks on! All in one place, without having to walk through sinfully long streets!

If you are a person who loves shopping but your pocket is not so deep, I would suggest you check this out. It has everything: from cosmetics, sarees, dress materials and accessories, to lots and lots more!

But there was something that squarely stole the limelight: homemade soaps! Actually it was the aroma that drove me to them. These are little soaps made of rose petals and other natural scents without any kind of chemical adulteration; they come in unusual flavours like wine, jasmine, cinnamon and lavender, and are also very cutely shaped - hearts, butterflies, bedbugs, roses and designs that your valentine will surely love, if you choose to gift her one! (Oh yes! Valentine’s Day is round the corner; why not try this one out?) 

The prices vary depending on how much it weighs; I paid 50 Bucks for 70 Grams soap and I’ve been using it for over 10 days now and still have half-a-portion left. It saves you the energy of using a scrubber as the rose petals do that job fabulously and the experience is rejuvenating I must say!

I also picked up this homemade and flavoured salt - apparently soaking your feet in warm water mixed with a pinch of this salt, helps relaxing them after a long day in office. (I tried this and trust me; I would suggest this alternative against any pedicure treatments where you shell out hundreds!) These are priced around 40 Bucks for 100 grams and you can use each packet for about 4 sittings! So technically you are spending 10 Bucks for your pedicure, Wow! Isn’t that amazing?

And this little piglet and fish you see, are incense-stick holders. These are about an inch in size and extremely adorable. Your mum or aunt would love it, if you gift them one! Apart from these, there are a lot of branded stuff that are organic and also reasonably priced, compared to many stores in the city. This santhe has handpicked products that are chemical-free, and ones that have the right components that suit every skin and hair type. 

And the bonus, these are not just for women but for men too, so rest assured your spouse/boy friend wouldn’t mind getting you here. Considering the fact that nothing can cause you as much trouble as deciding what to gift a guy, this place will surely help with hassle-free and limited-budget shopping, for stuff that are purely organic and harmless. 

The footfall at the santhe was decent and I saw many passers-by stop, to get a glimpse of it. I actually realized that Bengalureans are always open to such ideas of having homemade, handmade and eco-friendly products!

Overall, the experience was extremely delightful and worthy. We should encourage more such santhes and make the city a unique shopping destination, something that is not seen in other cities. 

THE BLAME GAME

BY ADITHIMANASA

“The girls are to be blamed! Just look at the way they dress…” 

Picture courtesy- www.policymic.com

I couldn’t help overhearing two ladies talk among themselves. The women were sitting behind me. One was pointing at the front page of a newspaper. It was evident that the two were discussing about a girl being gang-raped. The saree clad women were very sure that the victim’s dress ‘provoked’ the rapists. 

A few men sitting in the bus looked at the women and nodded their heads in agreement. On getting some attention, the women’s conversation grew louder and louder. The women also pointed at a few college going girls in the crowded bus. The girls were oblivious of what they were discussing as they were only hoping to get a seat. Many of them had their ear plugs on listening to the radio.  

The women were worried at the way the young girls were dressed up. They were upset that the girls chose to wear sleeveless tops and low waist jeans. “How can you blame the men? If these girls walk around in skimpy outfits, they are bound to get unwanted attention. The men will get tempted. Why wear such clothes and invite trouble? ” they were heard saying. 

One more woman joined them. She opined that girls partying late into the night and roaming in the streets after dark are also reasons for the increase in the number of rapes in the city. I wanted to know what they had to say about women working late at nights. Is working for a BPO a crime then? What about female bartenders? What about students working part-time to arrange for the exorbitant college fees?

Picture courtesy- www.huffingtonpost.com

No girl is stupid. Necessity makes people take up odd jobs even if they are uncomfortable with it. Sometimes people are compelled to work 20-hours a day! All are not blessed. All are not lucky. I wondered what these women had to say about such hardworking females.

The bus slowed down and a pretty lass got in. She was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. The topic immediately changed. The women yet again began to talk about her clothes. I turned and looked at the women. While one had a frown the other had a worried look and yet another was shocked out of her wits. I couldn’t help but chuckle. 

Picture courtesy- www.dailymail.co.uk

All of a sudden, we heard a cry. A girl punched a man on his face. The frightened man got off the bus before anyone could catch hold of him. He ran across the street and vanished. People in the bus were curious to know what had happened to the girl. Why did she punch that man? The aged conductor tried consoling her. She had hit the man for misbehaving with her.

The women were no longer talking. They kept looking at the brave girl who was still fuming with anger. The salwar kameez clad gutsy girl got down at the next stop and walked away. An eerie silence in the bus loomed.