Footprints....!!

Pic credit: My husband ( me at snow clad slopes of Auli, Uttrakhand)

"गर्मी से सूरज की 

जब बर्फ पिघलेगी 

घास पर ठंडी ठंडी ओस होगी 

तब तुम ज़रा ध्यान से देखना 

वहीँ कहीं कुछ निशाँ 

गुज़रे मौसम के भी होंगे,

नयी कलियों की उदास आँखों में 

मेरे आंसुओं की 

नमी बची होगी....."

Translation:

"Due to the warmth of sun
the ice will melt
when there will be
dew on fresh grass,
then you look carefully
and you will find some marks
from the gone time
you will notice wetness of my tears
in the eyes of fresh buds....."

Union Budget 17-18

What's the latest hot topic of Indian household these days after demonetization or re-monetization effect, you guessed it right, it is the upcoming Union budget 17-18.

Everybody is expecting a budget, full of goodies: something for everyone.

So, what's there to look forward, expect tax exemption, higher slabs of reimbursements for salaried people, welfare schemes, job creation to jump start the dormant economy.

While so much is said and done since demonetization, the common man of the country is keeping the hopes high for a favorable budget. And why not? Since the budget is coming within few months of demonetization, and demonetization bringing a huge amount of money back into the circulation, it is expected that Budget for 2017-18 may have higher thresholds for levy of income tax for individual tax payers. It is also expected that income tax rates applicable to individuals will be reduced. As a result, all the middle class consumers are expected to have higher disposable income and hence higher purchasing power. Sounds good, eh.

Well as a citizen of the country I am hopeful on the steps taken by the government to eradicate terrorist funding, black money and extracting right share of taxes from large part of the population by making India a "less-cash" economy if not cash-less economy.

The Hon'ble Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley had recently said that - demonetization will not only bring back the unaccounted wealth into the economic system, it will also pave way for tax relief to honest tax payers by bringing the rates down.

Let’s see what a majority of Indian is expecting from the upcoming budget:

1.  Relaying of the tax slabs, may be like up to 5 Lac as nil
2.  The medical reimbursement limit which is currently Rs 15000, provided by the employer to go up to Rs 50000
3. The current exemption for Transport allowance or Conveyance allowance is capped at Rs19200 per annum, this may increase up to Rs 36000 per annum.
4. The all time favorite LTD may also get a make over and may get expanded to include expenditure incurred from foreign traveling and as well include ancillary expenses like cost of boarding and lodging.
5.  Hopes are high for Rs 2 lakh which is currently available as a deduction for the interest paid towards the housing loan for a self occupied house property to be increased to the lower of Rs 5 Lac or actual interest paid. 
6.  Reintroduction of standard deduction for salaried employees.
7. Complete exemption of receivables at maturity under NPS (EEE) would be another welcome measure.

Sketch Courtesy: a friend

 

"दौड़ो भागो जल्दी आओ 

जल्दी जल्दी पाँव बढ़ाओ 

छुटकी, बड़की, अम्मा आओ 

बापू, गप्पू, भैया आओ 

देखो दौड़ा आया फौजी 

पीछे दौड़ी कमला भौजी 

वो देखो चला आ रहा किसान 

उनके पीछे आया पहलवान 

साहब आया, मैडम आयी 

नवाब आये, बेग़म आयी 

पंडित आया, मौलवी आये,

पीछे आया सलीम नाई ,

देखो खुला है नया पिटारा 

कहते इसको बजट हमारा 

इसने देखे, उसने झाँका 

सबने पूछा क्या आया ?

सब कुछ देखा,

सब कुछ पाया,

फिर मंहंगा मंहंगा चिल्लाया 

ये होती है बजट की माया 

टूटी कमर किसान की 

घर का खर्च चरमराया 

ये है भाई बजट की माया 

फिर सबने है आस लगायी 

शायद कम हो जाये महंगाई 

देखें फिर से नया बजट 

हो जाये शायद काया पलट....."

 

 

Down meomry lane.....!!

Pic courtesy : my husband, Location: Girijia Devi Temple, Ramnagar, Uttarakhand

"क्यों पुरानी यादों के तारों को छेड़ दिया आज, तुमने 

फिर ठहरे हुए पानी में हलचल मचा दी....."

Translation

"Why did you pluck the strings of old memories,

creating ripples in the tranquil waters....."

Love is life.....life is love

Mm...so after initial struggle of creating the blog and how to handle the teething issues, I am sitting here to write my second post.

As I said, that I am a romanticist, this page is gonna be all about Live, Love, Laugh.......something to take you down memory lane at times and sometimes to ensure that you look forward for that lovely moment in life. I will help you spice up your cherished memoirs.

The good thing in my life happened to me was, that I fell in love and the best is that I stayed in love. Each morning when I wake up, I think of him, each day comes to an end with his name.

Let's go back a little in our lives, and try to recall the moment when we saw that special someone for the first time, those deep eyes, that lovely voice, that walk, those endless talks.

That assuring look in the eyes, telling that "you have touched me more profoundly than I thought you could touch me, I am yours forever n ever n ever......"

Pic credit : my husband (vasudev Mandir at Auli Uttrakhand)

"आये हैं महफ़िल में और ख़ामोशी की बात करते हैं,

बात बेबात रिवाज़ ऐ जहाँ की बात करते हैं,

आदत है सितम करना जिनकी 

वो करम करने की बात करते हैं,

न उनका दर्द, दर्द ऐ जहाँ,

न उनका ग़म, ग़म ऐ जानाँ ,

मुहोब्बत में जो मज़हब की बात करते हैं,

फर्क सिर्फ इतना है,

ग़र है, उनमें और हम में,

वो अपनी, और हम 

ग़म ऐ जहाँ की बात करते हैं,

राह ऐ क़ाबा भी वहीँ है, राह ऐ मदीना भी 

दीवाने दो मिलकर जहाँ, महबूब की बात करते हैं....."

Translation:

"You have come to the gathering,

and talking about silence,

whether it matters or not, 

you are talking about customs,

One, who has the habit to persecute

Is talking about soothing,

Neither the pain matters to you,

Nor their sorrows,

One who brings religion in love

If there is a difference in them and us,

then, that will be

that they talk about world

and we talk about us,

The road to Mecca

and the road to Church, is

where two Lovers meet

and talk about LOVE....."

  

First of infinite, I hope

Phew.....something which started last evening has come to a halt now, finally. I tried creating my blog, and man, believe me, it's not as simple as they say. 

As I sit here and start penning my thoughts in my first ever blog, I remember an old saying 'better late than never'.

Many of you have appreciated my work in past. Many asked me to start my own blog, on your demand "here I am"

The recipe of this page is not about surviving, it's about thriving, doing so with passion, with lots of compassion, some humor and a touch of style. 

This is a page for all;  all those who are in love, had been in love, for the heartbroken and the love lost. A place for those who found it, lost it, and for those who are searching for it.

Although, I am sharing my poetry and photography through this page, I welcome your  thoughts and suggestions because it is this synergy which will make my effort worthwhile....... and enriching.

Picture credit : my husband (me at Ranthambore resort)

 "नज़रों में पैग़ाम लिए , शहर में हज़ारों फ़िरते हैं,

मग़र हो तो कोई तुम जैसा, जो हम उस ओर देखें....."

Translation:

"Thousands wander in the city, with invite in their eyes,

but there is no one as charming as you, that I look at them..."