DocDivaTraveller: April 2019

High Priestess, which released on ZEE5 some days ago, piqued our interest for multiple

reasons. As the title suggested, the biggest of them all is Amala Akkineni who makes her web

series debut with this show. Directed by Pushpa Ignatius, High Priestess is a supernatural

thriller revolving around Swathi Reddy, a tarot card reader and psychic and her strange

experiences with her clients. But makes this Telugu web series stand out among others? Why

should people give it watch right away? Having seen the series, that’s exactly what we’ll try to

address without giving any spoilers.

Reason 1: Amala Akkineni

The web space has been catching a lot of traction amongst the Tollywood people. In the month

of March this year, Lakshmi Manchu and Srinivas Avasarala made their web series debut with

ZEE5’s web series Mrs. Subbulakshmi. However, Amala Akkineni’s presence in the web series

takes the excitement to the next level. That’s because it has been almost 7 years since she

graced the Telugu audience with her spectacular performance. Also, the show sees her pick a

role, unlike anything she’s done before.

Reason 2: Story and Series Format

When one thinks of spirits and supernatural events, one thinks of jump scares and at times even

violence as we’ve seen in Anushka Shetty’s Arundathi or Poorna’s Avunu. But this series has a

different take on supernatural entities and rather comes across as a thriller with high emotional

appeal. This makes it a unique series in the Telugu cine space. In an interview, Amala even

referred to High Priestess as afeel-good show with a slightly twisted approach to the

supernatural. Also, the series revolves around different stories and characters who are all

connected via Amala’s character Swathi. Using a hyperlink narrative further enriches the

narrative and makes High Priestess a wholesome watch.

Reason 3: Other Prominent Cast Names

Along with Amala Akkineni, High Priestess features quite a stellar star cast who are a treat to

watch. There is Kishore, who is a popular actor in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada industries. Then

there is Varalakshmi Sarathkumar who makes her web series debut with this show. Brahmaji

too essays an important role in the series. Last but not least, Tamil actor Krishna of Kazhugu

and Maari 2 fame plays an interesting role and also happens to be the producer of this thrilling

series.

Reason 4: No Language Barriers

As with most ZEE5 original content, High Priestess too has a dubbed release. So while the

series was originally made in Telugu, the dubbed versions help take this exciting supernatural

tale to a larger audience. As per a quote from producer Krishna, the series is expected to be

dubbed in seven languages. As of now, the series is available to watch in Telugu and Hindi. So

if you are a fan of supernatural thrillers, this show shall give you the thrills you are looking for.

So, those were some of the biggest reasons why you should check out High Priestess on ZEE5.

This is one series that is sure to impress horror and thriller genre fans.

4/29/2019 6 comments

Health is a state of physical, mental and emotional well being and not just the absence of disease. This is the definition given by WHO. Now have you ever experienced that inspite of being well (investigations say so) you don't feel your best? This happens with almost everyone. But why so? Have you ever wondered? This is because we don't get cured from within.

Whenever one falls sick, one needs to be treated constitutionally. We all are individuals, having a unique genetic code and behaviour. Then how can we expect the same medicine to treat different constitutions? The solution to this is a holistic approach to health which can be achieved by combination of different modes of treatment. This can be achieved by functional medicine.

Now what is functional medicine?

Functional medicine is medicine by cause, not by symptom. It doesn't treat diseases, but treats the body's ecosystem. They get rid of the bad stuff, put in the good stuff and our body does the rest.

Is functional medicine is easily available in India?

Yes. Through Daivam. Daivam derives its roots from the ancient wisdom of world medicine, backed by modern medicine and is delivered by the power of technology.

What is Daivam?

It is a holistic way of healing that is geared towards reversing disease and returns you to good health. This personalized and integrative health system is called the Daivam Way.

Dr Alok Chopra, a renowned cardiologist for the last 37 years is the pioneer of this field and the medical director of Daivam. Backing him is Dr Manjari Chandra, a distinguished nutritionist and diet consultant who has worked with top notch hospitals of India over 22 years.
Mr Sanjay Sachdeva, the founder and CEO of Daivam is the brain behind this integrated lifestyle approach.

How is Daivam Way different from the conventional way?

The Daivam Way is holistic unlike the conventional way which is atomistic. The former is person centric and preventive while the latter is disease centric and reactive.

What is the approach of Daivam?

Here at Daivam, they follow the 3 C's:

Collect and Analyse

Consultation with specialists

Continuous monitoring

Daivam follows a system of nine pathways that are designed to bring the person back to optimal health and balanced well being. These are:

Nutrition, gut microbiome, inflammation and immunity, detoxification, energy metabolism, hormonal balance, structure integrity, psychospiritual integrity, genome and epigenetics.

So what are the five main causes of disease?

Poor diet, chronic stress, microbes, toxins, allergies.

What are the Twelve ingredients to good health?

Whole fresh foods, nutrients, light, water, air, movement, rhythm, sleep, love, connection, meaning and purpose.

So here at Daivam they go to the roots, remove the toxins, replace non nutritional food with nutrient rich ones, reinstate your gut and helps repair and restore, bringing the person back to health.

What are the ailments that are addressed at Daivam?

Heart disease, hormonal imbalance, sexual dysfunction, gut health, autoimmune disease, ageing and longevity, diabetes, cancer, toxicity, obesity, depression, stress and anxiety, sports and degenerative medicine.

So if you are looking to get rid of the root cause of your ailment and come back to health holistically, visit the Daivam centre at

Daivam wellness private limited

Sector 24, Gurugram

4/25/2019 5 comments

This post was long overdue (like every year) My daughter's birthday was on 11 March (one of the life changing days of my life). It's been half a decade that I became a mom! Phew! As cliched as it may sound, but time really flies!

Years will pass and birthdays will come and go but memories would stay forever! When I was younger (when my mom was my only photographer) she used to lecture me to pay more attention to enjoying a particular situation rather than clicking incessantly.

I however defied her by saying that old memories make good life. The ability to retrieve a memory decreases exponentially unless boosted by artificial aids like photographs and videos. We should retain good moments for future memories.

So when I was continuously clicking pictures for my daughter's fourth birthday, she again put up her logic and asked me to pay attention to hosting (which I was doing simultaneously). But later on when I showed her the photographs, she agreed that those moments had been immortalised by my incessant clicking actions. I feel that it's my (as a mom) responsibility to document every important occasion of my munchkin so that she can relive those days when she grows up!

And just like that, my daughter turned five! You can get a glimpse of her previous birthdays here, here, here and here.

This year was extra special for many reasons. Firstly this was her first birthday when she no longer was the only child ..she had her new born sister alongside. Secondly as she is growing up, she had her own list of invitees or friends. I had never handled so many kids together! And party planning single handedly with no sleep for the past one and half months was really challenging on my part. However everything turned out great and I am really thankful to my friends who came and blessed my first born.

As you must have guessed already, the theme was Minnie Mouse and red and black. We donned red and black or white and set the party scene on fire! Just kidding 🤣

I hope that my elder daughter will cherish these moments when she grows up and I wish hey all the happiness and good health in this world!

4/20/2019 14 comments

This year for Mother's Day, I would love to buy myself a few nice dresses. I know, I sound like a three year old. No matter how old I get as a mom, I can never get bored of celebrating. In fact I am waiting for my kid to get older so that she can start pampering me with gifts! Actually I am a pretty overenthusiastic person who likes to celebrate every small occasion. So whether its my bestie’s birthday or my partner’s, Father's Day or our anniversary, I spend months planning on the celebration and of course the best part: gifts!

Our year is very well balanced with almost celebrations in every month. Just as spring rolls over (my munchkin’s birthday) and summer comes, I start planning Mother's Day. I hardly get time to pamper myself. So I usually create a wishlist and try to tick them off from my bucket list. I usually make two lists: one splurge and one save. I generally manage to gift myself one luxury item every year. But since last year we splurged on our home, I would like to make a huge ‘save’ list and buy them all! This time my wishlist is from Trendysuper, one of my favourite shopping websites.

It’s a no secret that I am a short dresses person. But as I grow older, I have started gravitating towards maxi dresses and full jumpsuits. Motherhood and growing older has taken a toll on my dressing style! Also these are a safe bet during family gatherings and work parties where you don’t want to get eyebrows raised!

So here is what I have narrowed down.

I know this silhouette is quite dramatic but is absolutely a statement piece which a love. The black and white is so elegant and this just so irreristible! What do you think? You can get lots of cheap skater dresses.

How cute is this lace dress? The length is apt and the silhouette is so flattering! PS I love the colour!

This blue and white combo is simply irresistible!
You can view more women's maxi dresses on the website!

I guess overalls are the most stylish yet the super comfortable for mommies.

A maxi dress is the most versatile of all!

Which ones should I buy immediately? Let me know!

4/17/2019 7 comments

Usually when we visit a particular city, we always make sure to venture out in its suburbs or countryside. The fact is that you can never get a real feel of a region from the city. A city is always a much refined, polished and a modernized face of the region. Even if the region is the super developed New South Wales, Australia! You can't possibly imagine getting a feel of NSW from exploring Sydney! Can you judge Mathura by visiting Delhi? No! It's always the countryside that is more natural and beautiful and hence real.

So Blue mountains which is usually a day trip from Sydney, made it to our list. We wanted to explore NSW beyond Sydney and also sake to explore the mountains there. Therefore, instead of a day trip, we decided to spend a night in the mountains. And that decision was the best, ever.

Like the rest of our Australian trip, here too we booked our accommodation through Air B n B. But we didn't expect such a beautiful home there.

We booked our stay in Katoomba, the place of Three Sisters and the most famous part of Blue mountains. We reached there in the afternoon, after our visit to the Featherdale Sanctuary. The moment we stepped out of the Katoomba railway station, we fell in love with the mountain air!

Our place was quite a walk on the hilly terrain. However the surroundings were so gorgeous and pretty that I just couldn't get enough of them. Sloping roof houses (these are really rare in India) with perfectly manicured gardens all around. The best part? No two houses were alike. Every spot provided a postcard like photo opportunity.

And then we were bowled when we reached our place. The host had left a message that the key was under the footmat. We were in love from the front yard itself. Our bedroom had a huge bush of roses clambering all over.

The interiors were even prettier. The foyer and the living room looked straight out of my favorite interior website. And the library! My oh my ....that was Serious Goals! I am sure bibliophiles like me and my mom would have gone Gaga!

I won't describe the place further as I would let the pictures do the talking. However the ending was not so good. Our host Mrs Mader was a very cold and rude person. Our inference was that she must be used to dealing with Australians only. Since very few Indians visit Katoomba, we are sure that we were her first guests from this part of the world. I usually refrain from negativity on my blog but this time I tried to give a clearer picture. The place was indeed gorgeous but it was our worst b n b experience ever. She made us feel absolutely unwelcomed and unwanted.
We thought that her negativity would subside after repeated attempts of friendship from our side. But she straightaway refused to talk to us and slammed the door of the living room on our face.
But the last straw was that she falsely accused us of stealing her towel. I don't want to utter this but she was purely racist. Her bad behaviour and of course the stealing accusation spoilt our mood and not only the entire journey to Sydney was gloomy but it took quite some time to get back to our original holiday flavour.
As if it wasn't enough, she wrote negative reviews of us on the B n B website. I still can't swallow the fact that there actually exists hatred for people like us by the white men even today.

This is a perfect example that you simply can't make a beautiful house 'Home Sweet Home'.

4/15/2019 14 comments

In this millenium, most of the things in this world have turned smart. Starting with smart phones, cameras, lights, televisions and homes too. Life has undoubtedly become simpler. We don't need to worry about entering a hot home after a long day of work anymore; neither do we have to sweat upon not checking whether the door is locked or not. Internet is a blessing that no one can measure...without any disguise :D

So as life becomes a cakewalk with smart gadgets, why not driving? Driving on the Indian roads is a pain in itself. The crazy traffic, honking, bad roads and the sweltering heat for most parts of the year. To top everything, the apprehension of its safety when not parked at an 'appropriate place'. It's high time we had a smart car which was totally under our control; even from a distance! Thank God, the world's loved automobile brand Morris Garage decided to launch the very first Internet car of India!

2nd April, 2019 is a breakthrough date in the history of automobiles as it saw the grand launch of Morris Garage Hector, at JW Marriot, New Delhi. I was privileged enough to witness this #MGDriveIn first hand. I am sure you too are curious to know everything about this smart car. So here I am, trying to be comprehensive on its excellent features in the simplest words possible.

What makes the MG Hector the Internet Car?

The MG Hector is powered by iSmart Next Gen which is an integrated solution. It comes with embedded connectivity solution, maps and navigation services, pre loaded infotainment content, emergency and concierge services, voice services and in built apps. It also supports Over The Air updates. The control centre is housed in a 10.4'' Unit. It is the brain of the car. It's bigger than most tablets available in the market. The OS is developed by MG India.

It's just not a car. It has Artificial Intelligence.

From where does the MG Hector get connectivity?

In order to get everything going (read all Apps to work), the car needs internet. Now from where would it get connectivity especially on the road?

The MG Hector has an embedded Machine to Machine e-SIM. It's the first car in this segment to do so. It is 5G ready. The platform is Internet Protocol Version 6.

Airtel is the telecom partner for connectivity. Unlimit with Cisco has developed a robust solution on their Jasper platform that stays connected. This solution has been developed by MG in Thailand and China.

What exactly do we get from this connected mobility?

Remote tracking and location

Geo fencing

Automated emergency response

Music and content streaming

Up to Date maps

Real time navigation

Control via mobile App

Over the air updates (most important)

Over the air updates: Just like smartphones and tablets, the MG Hector would update itself automatically periodically so that the car has newer features and upgrades from time to time.

Aladdin and his Genie: Voice Assist:

Well I may sound like a technical moron (I don't mind) but this is the feature that makes me excited the most about smart devices. I feel like Aladdin who just has to rub the magic lamp and voice commands (in this case, Hello MG!)

You no more have to shift your concentration even for a fraction of a second to change the song or open the sunroof. Or in case of Indian roads, slide open the window to blurt out some expletives 😆 Just Kidding!

What all can my Genie do?

Open sun roof

Open window

Climate control

Radio control

Search embedded songs

Navigate to places.

eg Hello MG, take me to the nearest mall which serves great coffee and also allows my dog.

Will it be able to understand my accent?

Yes of course! This Voice assistant has been developed by Nuance. It has been trained for Indian English and accents. It has Natural language understanding which has adaptive features like Voice recognition, Speech signal processing etc. It recognises differences in semantics in speech. It will learn and customize itself to each user over time.

What all Apps have MG partnered with?

Maps and Navigation by TomTom, the global leaders in automotive navigation.

Premium account of Gaana App (ad free music and download capability)

Weather by Accuweather to prepare you for the current weather of your destination.

iSmart App on mobile phones:

This downloadable App on the mobile phone when fired up scans the car and myriads of things can be done:

Fuel level and vehicle range

Lock/Unlock status

Lock/Unlock the vehicle remotely

Remotely switch on the climate control on a hot day

Find my car

Set Geo Fencing

Security Alert'Abnormal tyre pressure nptification

Speed Alert

and lots of other things.

Where would all this data be stored?

The user would find all information at one place via Adobe Experience Cloud. Adobe has worked with Cognizant to give a seamless experience to the customers.

The ERP solutions are being provided by SAP who are the world's leaders in this field.

With my data stored, how safe is everything?

Morris Garage has been working with Microsoft around the world to ensure the greatest possible cyber security. You can be assured of the fact that everything is absolutely safely being guarded.

How would this smart car help me in times of emergency?

MG Hector comes with an instant emergency response system via an E Call feature. eg if the airbags are deployed then E Call is automatically triggered. Pulse Hub calls the head unit and on failure of any response, calls the owner's phone. Again on failure of any response the next call goes to the emergency contact.

There is also an I Call button that enables concierge service via Pulse Hub.

So I hope I have clarified most of your queries as to how this smart MG Hector works. Having said all that, don't you think we all need this smart car in our lives? Driving in India would become a breeze with our concentration being on the steering wheel and road; the rest would be taken care of by MG!

Come summers, Indian roads are going to experience a revolution!

4/05/2019 8 comments

Cotton blend fabric wear are best to keep you warm and in charm during winter months. From toasty scarves to smothering sweaters – cotton blend fabric seems ideal for a winter wear and also as a summer wear. Moreover, such fabric absorbs moisture keeping you warm and doesn’t wear unless there are harsh weather conditions.

Though, no one is ever going to be bothered with the layers of cotton sweaters you’ve worn underneath your t-shirt or shirt. All that matters is how much the fabric keeps you warm without tingling or making you feel suffocated.

Usually different fabrics have radically different properties and hence wrong type of clothing can be a complete turn off or a fashion disaster.

See whether your activity is low and whether your skin sweats normally. If no and if your activity is less, then try opting for cotton fabrics which will not only act as a sweat buffer (if you’re someone who sweats profusely even on winter) so that don’t lose out on insulation.

Usually most of the winter garments like hats, shawls, sweaters and scarves are a combination of fibres like arcylic, nylon, rayon with cotton fibre are quite thinner with great elasticity. But cotton blend fabrics solely are used as a lining for hats, sweaters, caps, making it comfortable against your skin.

But cotton may not be the ideal fabric for winter, as moisture gets trapped in your body. Thus you might feel more freezed and cold during wintery mornings or in a freezing melt-down condition.

In such a case, you can look for cotton-poly-spandex blend that might keep you comfy and snugly. Cross fabrics like cotton-spandex blend or polypropylene blend with cotton, work wonders in keeping you comfy than cotton. Besides the outerwear insulation, cotton thermal underwear seems a better insulation for inner wear too. This two piece can be used as a night sleep wear depending on its length by both women and men. But never choose materials which are 100% cotton. These are not good for your skin during winter.

Usually crisp thicker cotton shirts tend to crease very easily. Though during transitional warmer months, it keeps your silhouette better and smarter during winter months.

Though cotton blend fabric designs fit in the category of sophisticated fashion, it suits the formal environment as an office wear, besides being perfect for every body type.

Even if the temperature is soaring or shivering – cotton blend fabric acts as a not-so-perfect-option but ideal and comfy options among all other alternate winter wear fabrics.

Tissura is a chain of boutiques and showrooms that has been presenting haute couture fabrics for more than 20 years. We offer exclusive textiles, trimmings and accessories of premium quality.

4/02/2019 13 comments

I wish I had a son so that I could teach him all the household stuff which I would be teaching my girls. I believe that chores are chores and none of them are gender biased. It's high time we Indians realize this and establish gender equality in our households. If women can go out, drive and earn equal to that of a man, then why can't a man do the laundry and cook?

We have to start this training from teenage itself. There should not be any discrimination between the upbringing of a son and daughter.

Kudos to Ariel India for coming up with such a great initiative. These cool hamper motivates us to to the fullest to train our sons. The logo grocery bag and apron are my favourites. A constant reminder that sons need to share the load too!

It's a fact that the perspective of a mother and a mother in law is 180 degrees opposite. A mother expects her son in law to help her daughter with all the household chores, love her and pamper her. But this same mother who has a son has a totally different attitude for her own daughter in law. She expects her son to be pampered by his wife and if the son doesn't help her, she neither finds it wrong nor tries to convince him that he needs to share the load with his wife. Have you ever realised how unfair this is?

When a daughter is born in this millennium, she is nurtured to be ambitious and chase her dreams. She gets a job and earns equal or even more than her brother. But when it's the time of her marriage, she is taught all the household chores. From cleaning to dusting to buying groceries and of course cooking and laundry. When a man decides to get married, do the mothers teach them all this? Or why even wait for this stage. I was taught how to make my own bed, clean my room etc etc when I was very young. So why not give the same training to our sons and daughters simultaneously? Is household work really gender specific? No!

This Ariel film carries such an amazing message. I mean I really wish I had a son. I am a progressive mom who happens to be married to an orthodox family who really thinks that household is solely my responsibility. I go to my clinic, attend blogging events, come back home and do all the household chores, take care of my daughters and of course blog. Is not it unfair? I mean shouldn't be the jobs equally divided?

This Ariel #HamperOfEquality is just so thoughtful. Ariel matic powder is suited to top load and Ariel matic liquid for front load machines. It is really tough on stains so washing clothes is a breeze. Also we have a fully automatic machine so I think it's really easy to wash clothes. The laundry bag carries such a nice message. Also the wooden pegs carry superhero stickers. There is a note addressing the man of the family that 'Be a superhero' to your wife. How thoughtful!

There is an apron with a lovely message that would encourage the man to pick up the knife. Also the grocery bag would motivate to pick groceries. Apart from all this, there is a cute colouring book for kids that has pictures of household activities. There is a scool timetable too.