When first loves beckon...

“First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity.”—George Bernard Shaw

                  We often have a strange attachment and magnetic pull towards all kinds of first things in our lives. Our first cell phone, first family vacation, or our first sneaky night-out. We remember about these incidents with a special kind of care and fondness. At lonely moments we long to be able to return to them.

                 Similar is the charm associated with our first innocent teenage loves. They are very clearly etched in our memories, added with layers of experience and at melancholic moments we ponder about reconnecting with them.

                 That exciting new experience we remember all our lives. We tend to forget the little troubles that seemed so tragic then and remember the moments of exquisite joy. We then lived in a world of fairy tale romances, believing without a doubt that there always had to be a happy ending.

               Just as happiness was so easy to come by then, the young hearts were equally easy to hurt. Some of these hurtful incidents often have great impact upon us and might alter the way we later look at love.

             The frustration felt when none took us seriously then and attributed all the new complicated feelings to ‘hormones’ is unforgettable. Now we know that the best thing adults can do is support the little ones to pass this changeable phase with the least wounds. First love is only the first lesson learnt.

             Very often we remember our first love as something innocent and pure, sometimes as something ideal and in rare cases with regret. As time passes our thoughts change yet we do wonder about our lost loves and want to wish them well. Adolescent first loves are very often our favourite actors, rock stars and even teachers. “My first love was definitely Hrithik Roshan! Still cannot hear a single rotten thing about him”, gushes a college student.

              Those for whom first love doesn’t come as teenagers, the feelings, excitement and silly mistakes made is much the same. The over powering enigma of love manages to pull one and all.

             The wandering mind which will never be reined does sometimes decide strange things. When it is about our first love, all we can do is sit back and enjoy the ride.

Can you eat and still impress?

      Very often our body weight grows in proportion to our affection towards our partners. Couples do not look as stunning, after a few months, as they did when they first fell in love. With time the calories lost are often gained back. And then there is the bad break-up, which wreaks havoc. In such situations, food either becomes your best friend or your worst enemy.

        It’s all right to lose a few kilos in the first few weeks of a new relationship. After all, you have to look attractive for the new partner! But all does not remain well in blissville.

        Skipping gym sessions, indulging in bags of chips and butter popcorn over Friday movie nights, and those large scoops of ice cream start to take a toll. The trouble begins when one feels that it is no longer necessary to impress. Before you know it the multiple slips have caused you to pile on the. You may begin to feel self-conscious about your body which in turn might lead to lowered self-esteem.

         But its never too late to fix the problem and there’s always a way to remain healthy. For one, give the dinner dates a miss and plan something more active like skating, or going to a gym, which are also great ways to bond. Pay attention to the food and drinks consumed. And never think it’s all right to get fat just because your partner loves you.

          Team effort always pays off: couples that promise to improve their eating and exercising habits will succeed in enjoying a healthy lifestyle. And there will always be exceptions like M.A. student Pratidhani Tamang who says, “I always eat, no matter what!”

Mou Chapori

Mou Chapori

          The state of Assam, tucked away in the north-east corner of India has a beautiful holiday destination to boast of. It is one of those unknown getaways which still remains free from the ill effects of mindless tourists.The unique river-island resort of Mou Chapori, right in the middle of the Brahmaputra, at Nimati Ghat is the special place I am talking about.

         This river-island was taken on provisional lease from the Government by a renowned physician of Assam, Dr. Zakir Ahmed, who has done a lot to develop tourism in Assam.

          During high tide, boats leave from Nimati Ghat to the resort for Rs. 50 per ride. During the dry season, Mou Chapori becomes accessible by land as well. A cozy ambience has been created on the island as the resort has tried to fuse tradition with modern architecture. Detachable plywood cottages, traditional Assamese and Mishing Chang Ghars, houseboats and tents for camping make up for the homely accomodation in Mou Chapori. Other interesting activities include horse-riding, boating and camping on the sandy shores.

          Apart from all these activities available, the main point of attraction offered to tourists is its undisturbed closeness to nature and solitude. One can break free from the drudgeries of routine life and take a revitalising holiday in Mou Chapori. Stress and worries of all kinds vanish when we can lay still and simply listen to the sound of silence, the chirping of diffrent migratory birds and the mighty river flowing all around us. The beautiful sunset thereafter and the flickering lights floating afar will keep you mesmerised.

           During the monsoons, Mou Chapori sometimes faces the problem of erosion. This eco-friendly resort was once inundated and had to be closed down for a while. Instant repair work was taken up by the Government and the resort was reopened. Several embankments and spurs have been constructed to keep the place safe.

           Mou Chapori is located 12 kilometres from the town of Jorhat which is well connected by air, rail and road. The resort has multi-cuisine restaurants, also serving local recipes made of fish and bamboo-shoot; conference halls and bars. It is extremely economical as the luxury cottages are priced at Rs. 2,000 and the traditional huts at Rs. 1,200. Service is extremely hospitable and efficient.

          So next time you want to experience bliss by resting in the lap of nature, you know where to head to.