Random Musings .. Pearls Of Wisdom

Gem Of An Advice

The other day I got a call from a colleague, a publicist, pitching her jewelry brands around the “auspicious festival” of Akshaya Tritiya. Jewelry shopping in times of Covid lockdown? Are you kidding me, I quipped. She said –“Ma’am its Akshaya Tritiya, the most favourable time to invest in precious metals and buy jewelry.” To me, this resonated with that not-so-famous statement made by the queen of France, Marie-Antoinette, who during the French Revolution responded upon being told that her starving peasant subjects had no bread to survive- “So, let them eat cake”.

Luxury today is being able to keep you and your family well fed and looked after. If you manage to find your favourite brand of munchies or sweet savories or lactose free milk, then it’s a celebration. Luxury today is getting to speak with any human being, even if it means a subziwala or a kiryana store shop keeper- the in-person conversation and the face-to-face interaction with anyone outside home brings its own share of joy. Luxury today is managing to get hold of that plumber or electrician to get that odd light repaired, the tap fixed, of course getting an air conditioner or RO serviced is asking for a bit too much!

I felt a bit guilty of sharing my "pearls of wisdom" with the publicist who was obviously doing her job in the right earnest. But this conversation set me thinking about the impact of this lockdown-slowdown on the jewelry brands. Or for that matter any luxury brand. Discretionary spending is becoming a thing of the past - so gone are the days when you would give in to your whim of replacing a humble four wheeler with the swankier version, or buy more clothes than you have space to keep them. This is time to “make do” and cultivate habits of thrift. The lockdown is the best illustration of how we can live frugally. Managing everything from fitness to a haircut, saving on commute and travel, we are not spending on new clothes as where is the need to impress. Or cooking extra as we do just enough to satiate hunger and stay fit.

Holi, Diwali, Christmas, Eid, Akshaya Tritiya – are all on one side. Our biggest celebration will be the day we can move out with same confidence, breathe in fresh air and step out in victory over the virus. If we retain the "gem of lessons" from our lockdown diaries, long after the Covid pandemic is over, that is when we will truly shine and radiate that glitter and glimmer onto others. Diamonds are not forever, but one thing certainly is – your inner light and wisdom! Lets value and respect, what is truly priceless- life and the little joys of it.

Comments

Telemedicine to the aid of home-bound patients in the time of Covid-19

Telemedicine in covid-19 times: You can get to the doctor almost anytime, anywhere, be it on your screen, via voice or plain text for a lower price than in-person consult Namrata Kohli | New Delhi Telehealth is bridging the gap between patient and physicians. The physician can now virtually visit the stay-at-home patient and heal from a distance Telemedicine in covid-19 times: When 37-year-old Priyanka was down with fever and dry cough, she decided to consult a doctor over a WhatsApp call before giving her blood sample for an RT-PCR test. Based on her symptoms, the physician alerted her that it wasn't a mild Covid infection but a moderate one. His diagnosis was confirmed when the test report showed a viral load count of 20. “The massive benefits of telemedicine became evident during the pandemic,” says Priyanka’s doctor, New Delhi-based consultant physician Dr Arvind Kumar. “Everything is about time and if my patients have complications late at ni...

Gwalior is in Guinness: Tansen Sangeet Samaroh 2024

Gwalior is in Guinness: Tansen Sangeet Samaroh 2024 By Namrata Kohli History was created at the centenary celebration of the “Tansen Sangeet Samaroh 2024” at Gwalior where a musical ensemble entered the Guinness Book of World Records. The Tansen music festival was hosted by the UNESCO City of Music, Gwalior in its hundredth edition from 15-19 December 2024, in the backdrop of the historic Gwalior Fort and Tansen Tomb. Guiness had set several stringent criteria for evaluation- a minimum of 300 artists playing at least four instruments, and three songs spanning two minutes each. But the musical ensemble composed by renowned flute player Pandit Ronu Majumdar far surpassed all these criteria. Said Majumdar- “We had 563 artists. I was told by the Indian representative of Guinness that in any international evaluation of legends like Mozart, Beethoven, or Sangeet samrat Tansen, we need three songs and each song should be of minimum two minutes duration. So far, I was only ...

Commercial real estate offers higher rental yield, but beware the risks

Namrata Kohli New Delhi Delhi-based couple Jyoti and Rishi Arora recently chose to invest in commercial property, attracted by higher rental yields and the prospects of capital appreciation. They selected a 250-square-foot office space priced at Rs 80 lakh. “After extensive research, we selected a project in Sector 140, Noida, developed by a reputable builder,” says Jyoti. The presence of major IT companies in the area has strengthened their confidence in this investment. “You can get on a year to a year basis a return of approximate 12 to 35 percent depending on the location, prices and buying at the right time. Even in a place like Noida within 18 months, people have achieved almost hundred percent appreciation,” says Salil Kumar, Director Marketing & Business Management, CRC Group, which has its latest commercial project The Flagship in Noida Sector 140-A. What is the minimum ticket size with which one can invest in commercial real estate? Is it possible for re...

The Writer’s Flight

Search This Blog