Reshmi 's memoirs jotted as events- to be refreshed by the writer if required

      Chandeliers no longer a living room luxury While chandeliers certainly upgrade the quality of lighting in a living room, There may be a drab and dull corner that can add up to the elegant quotient with a mini chandelier to enliven the room. The brass based ones in cup shapes  are suitable for the living room and the dining hall. Despite all the modern day developments in lighting technology with fluorescent tubes and CFLs, the allure of a chandelier is unmatched and that is why the rich and famous prefer chandeliers in their homes. They have the unique style and classical touch to charm the people living in and those visiting these tasteful homes. So whatever be one’s budget, there are chandeliers to fit every pocket size.  The awe of grandeur and luxury tags  are attached to chandeliers even today, there are affordable options.  Some rooms which may not require the chandeliers for instance, the children’s study room should have bright...

(This piece was written by me for a magazine on Home decor. I felt the general reader also deserves an insight into making indoors look splendid without tweaking the budget) A well-kept home needs chandeliers to make it look vibrant and colourful. A room without proper lighting looks sombre and  reduces the ability to add life to the living space.  That is why, Indian homes, especially during festivals like Diwali, are brightened and spruced up by a thorough cleaning up and also with a display lamps that help to give brightness, sparkle and colour. Apart from festive seasons, generally, homes need to be brightly lit up to invite good fortune. Chandeliers are not a new concept in Indian homes and have been around for at least the last three centuries. Some say the concept is at least 800 years old and descriptions can be found in the literature of those times especially when describing the dwellings of the royalty and aristocracy. They were hung when electricity was...

“See the other side” by Tatyana Tolstoya – a work of fiction in Russian translated by Jamey Gambrell. ….Ravenna was the small Italian city where Dante was buried. Once upon a time right at the start of the fifth century AD- the Emperor Honorius transferred the capital of the Western  Roman Empire to this city. Ravenna - the city is famous for its mosaics, tourists and churches … Every city big or small turns ugly with the lapse of time like Ravenna. In her work about the city Tatyana proceeds to say there’s only darkness, heat, silence, irritation, doubt and dejection. This was in response to a postcard written by her father and forty years later she pays a visit to Ravenna only to feel disappointed. Coastal cities will perish Like people like cities do face the aging factor and this calls for re-building or renovation. All coastal cities must be constantly spruced up to retain their old glory or they will die a natural death. Dusky doe-eyed Gaikwad ...