I am going to miss my team and the adrenaline rush shopo gave me everyday. But I am going to look foward to contributing to shopo as a board member.

Good luck!

Krithika Nelson

By Our Guest Blogger, Divya from Urban Pari

However, unreachable Fashion may be, it really is all about personal style. This is what we, the Urban Pari team, bring to the table. Our style. We, you and all of us are quintessential Urban Pari. We hold yesterday’s sensibilities but we have tomorrow’s outlook. This is reflected in our saree designs. Although, the saree descends from tradition, we find myriad ways to reinvent it by our choice of color, fabric, print, applique, blouse design, etc.

When Winter arrives (or should we say, when it gets less hot), it’s time to choose other fabrics. Chiffons and georgettes are always in. But now, they drive the blues away with their vibrant hues. Textile manufacturers blend many yarns and bring to market, new fabrics that we should adopt. Take for example, the Silver Lining which is made using blended Tusser silk. The fabric flows well, it is durable and you don’t need to trudge to the dry cleaners. This season’s collections will include more saris with this fabric as the wash-care instructions are easy and it can be dyed in colors quite easily.

Simple designs, as we see on this saree, make it a perfect outfit for a formal dinner party. Jazz it up with jewelry for a wedding reception, as it is time for many weddings to come. It doesn’t always have to be Silk, for a grand social event. We can choose from other fabrics like Chanderi or Maheshwari cotton, Organza and Jute. Add in brocades to bring in the bling like we did on this Jute saree, Green Gold. Being different, choosing the road less taken, is one way to stand out.

Appliques such as Kalamkari are very traditional, as is silk. But, that needn’t stop us from changing how it looks on us. For example, look at the two Kalamkari sarees. The Amaranth Red Kalamkari saree is fitted with a regular long-sleeved, Silk blouse. The Green Kalamkari is complimented differently by the sleeveless, Organza blouse with a stylish bow-back. The two sarees are the same yet completely different in the way that they are styled.

Finally, bring in your personal style (or ask us how you can do it). Go grunge, punk, classic, chic or any other style that you prefer. Be comfortable in your saree and remember, that it is easily the most beautiful garment on the planet and every woman looks great in it.

Check out the Urban Pari Store here

And here is our last announcement….And this one goes to Anu Mehra… And we are giving her some healthy tea….

The woman that I feel like discussing here and the most important one in my life is a woman who has just changed my life. She is Ms Krishna Mehra and no less than a goddess to me. She reinforced my belief in myself. She threw me out of my comfort zone. She pushed me to believe and accept that unless I believe in myself and my dreams, no one else will. It is unfair to give any name to my relation with her; however, this relation is nothing less than kismet connection (link of fate). She is a good motivator, inspiration and my personal coach. She only tells me what I can do rather than what I should do. Having her around, I do not find any journey too tiring, any goal too difficult and any dream unachievable. Now, I have begun to realize even those dreams that were unthinkable at one point of time and I have also begun to dream a life that was beyond my imagination. If this woman has let me think the unthinkable and imagine the unimaginable the next one has let me believe in the lyrics of the famous song, “I am not afraid” by Eminem. She has contributed a lot in defining my outlook towards life and my personality – a change from being shy, frightened, and timid to a strong and daring person. Someone who can rebel and question and even challenge everything and anything that appeared very obvious and natural to many people. She made me realize that it is me who makes the society and not the vice-versa. She also let me believe that I have a journey to take and everybody else and everything else is a part of that journey. Values, Cultural and Social norms, Ethics, and Principles can be redefined. [Just because something has been done in a certain way for centuries does not make it right or wrong. Challenge is the key. I salute her and express my gratitude towards her contribution for my life.

Your gift is on the way  too, anu

As for those who haven’t  participated, there are 2 surprise contests coming your way today

Time simply flies ! Before we tell you who has won this hour’s gift, let’s share her cute poem with you all…

Pheww…. Another hour gone.. And it’s time for our next announcement. This time round, the prize goes to another Archana…for her heart warming story… A must read guys.. Before that we will show you, what Archana is going to get from Shopo….

A lovely, quirky  over the door hook from Kya Cheez Hai…

Ok..now to her story…

Dear Shopo Patronizers,

I am extremely happy to participate in this contest as this gives another reason to appreciate, adore and cherish someone who is so close to my heart and soul – my Amma.

We realize the importance of having a mother only when we go through testing times. But when they go through the same, whom do we go to??
That becomes a testing time for all of us in the family too.

One such major period started in Dec 2010. Being a very health-conscious person, my mother takes her master health-check ups every year. This particular year
her mammogram had some issues. Our family doctor was pretty suspicious and asked us to take couple of tests. We came to know that she had a lump in her right breast.
We were pretty shocked and took it seriously and pursued it for further biopsies and tests. At that point, my father had some important assignments and had to go out of town and
my brother was not in the country as such. Now, that left only me. I took my mother to Apollo Cancer Speciality and we were directed to the respective places for tests.
That day was really vexing as we saw many patients suffering from various ailments and we, amidst all that were in a confusion as to what is going to be the result of these tests my mother underwent. Thankfully I had/have GPRS on my mobile and started playing “Kandha Shashti Kavacham” for my mom. The mindset in which we were in, I should thank Lord Muruga for seeing us through that day.

Finally the results came and we found that the lump IS INDEED CANCEROUS. Its malignancy was not known then. My mother as usual showed no particular reaction on her face, whereas we were all shattered. I had to call up my dad and inform everything to him. We just couldn’t take it, but my mother did not show any reaction and went about doing her usual chores. We knew she was praying from within. Initially the doc said we have to remove the lump only and then figure out whether the cancer has spread or not. So we got the lump removal done. My mother is a strong person at heart and she is very god-fearing. She was very brave in undergoing the lump removal and we saw it through. The results were not too satisfactory so the doctor said we might see the spread in the other tissues of the breast as well, so better to remove the breast as such. We also came to know that the malignancy was in stage 1, so removing the breast altogether may be useful in arresting the
spread and keeping in check.

For someone who is 59, removing a breast totally is in a way very demotivating. It was surely like that for my mother also. She, without being perturbed about the operation,
went ahead to check out the other alternatives in having a breast in the place where its removed, like a silicone cup. I truly appreciated her forward-thinking in this aspect and felt that
she was truly a hero. I, on the other extreme, called up all my relatives & friends all over the world and asked their 2nd opinion on this. While most of them suggested that breast removal is the best option, I wasn’t satisfied totally. Finally she went ahead for the operation in Feb 2011, and by god’s grace, everything is OK now. She doesn’t have one breast, but is fit and fine and taking her
medicines (which have a few side-effects) and going about her routine work.

Cancer is something really “disturbing” to all of us, be it any form and stage. I’m extremely happy that my mother took it in the right spirit and is in her cheerful best now. For all of us, it was
a nightmare for those few months.

My mother is the PILLAR OF MY HOUSE and we have no clue what or where we will be without her. I can only think of one thing at this moment “Nammalukku kashtam vandha andha kadavula
koopduvom (the kadavul being my mother) aana andha kadavulukke kashtam vandha yaara koopduvaar?” Very difficult question to answer and my eyes get teary when I think of it.

Dear Archana, your mom is indeed a strong person..And your gift is on the way

Yes.. an hour just flew past… and we are waiting to tell you who is the next lucky person. But before that, here is a sneak peek of the gift…

Hand-painted by Madhubani artisans, this colourful tissue box is a cool product.

Archana Achuthan’s story bags this prize…Eager to know what won her this? Read on….

One pleasant evening in July 1997, my dad was inducted into the Rotary Movement. It was on that evening that I met one of my mom’s collegue Savithri aunty & her daughter Nandini, their family was already into rotary. “Nandini” I have a great fascination for this name right from a very young age & am easily attracted to someone with that name!! Plus her big bright smile attracted me!!! Till date according to me Nandini’s smile is the best!!

Nandini & I became very close during our 1st meeting itself. Then by & by as I started spending more time with her I noticed that she was a very beautiful person on the inside as well… she was an excellent student, superb orator,avid quizzer & amazing dancer, in short a multitalented person. I started learning a lot from her& we together used to organise many programmes and entertain people in our club. We enjoyed each other’s company and she was like a elder sister to me. I still remember doing dandiya with her during diwali in the year 1999.
Then when I completed school and looking out for colleges it was she who suggested her college which offered the course I wanted- MOP Vaishnav College. I liked the college a lot at first sight & spent 3 glorious years there. Nandini was my senior and she passed out of college the year I joined it. After that I did not get to see much of Nandini, because she was busy with her PG & then she joined one of the most established IT company and became extremely busy. Then during my final year, I learnt from my mother that Nandini was not keeping well, and was working from home. I really felt awful and prayed for her all night. After about a year, On the night of 24th dec 2005, while I was spending christmas vacation at my cousin’s residence, I recieve a call saying that Nandini had gone… Gone to a place from where she cannot return…. I was totally shocked!! It was that night that I came to know that Nandini had gone because of lymphatic cancer & was under treatment for the same. That night I did not have a wink of sleep, her thoughts came gushing in.
It has been 4 years now & I miss her a lot!!! Her parents(she was an only child) have stopped socializing though I get to meet her dad & speak to him, I have not met her mom at all in these four years. I spoke to her on the phone once but every time I speak to her I remember Nandini & struggle a lot not to ask her “How is Nandini”?? Same applies to her dad also. But atleast with him I can keep from asking this question somehow but not with aunty. Both her parents see me as their daughter- which gives me a lot of satisfaction and pride that they see Nandini through me.Nandini has also contributed in a big way to what Iam today by showing me our college & teaching me a lot of lessons for life. I still believe that she is living somewhere in this world and I cannot get to meet her. Miss her terribly when I organise /entertain /sing/ compere in the club and I always think of her. Miss you Nandini!!! I know that you are reading this post from somewhere & flashing your big bright smile…. Miss you. Love you !!

Congrats Archana !

Hey People,

So with Navrathri coming to an end, we are ready to announce the winners of our Navrathri contest, as promised. Every hour today, we shall reveal to you one lucky winner who will get a gift from Shopo.

So, are you ready ?? Here goes… Btw here is the gift that this lucky winner is going to get.

Yummy and mouth-watering assorted chocolates from Crestmyna. Here is a closer look…

So Jennifer D’souza from Gujarat is the first lucky winner.  Her goddess ,she claims is her mom. This is what we loved from what she said .. “In the future , If I am able to become like her to my children even 1% , My Job on coming to the Earth is done.”

Don’t you guys think that such a lovely daughter deserves these wonderfully packed chocolates? Well, we definitely think so …

Eager to know if you have won a prize… Stay With Shopo. We will be announcing a winner every one hour. For those who haven’t participated, fear not. We have a surprise contest for you too !