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by Naisargi Devdher Suhani Shah Celebrating 25 years in Mentalism 2 September 2022 COVER STORIES Advertisement Advertisement Even before understanding what fame and glamour is, a child understood what magic is! It was 26 years ago, that a 6 year old Suhani saw a ‘magic show’ and dreamt of becoming a magician. This marks her 25th year performing mentalism, as she still carries the charm and innocence that 7 year old Suhani did. Talking of it, there is a lot of glamour, a factor of ‘wow’, self-love and over confidence associated with the career transition. To which, she elaborately explains, “As a child, I kept talking of magic and fortunately, my parents honestly were extremely considerate about it. You know, my father spent 6 months looking for a tutor and basically putting across magic as my educational development, because somewhere my inclination towards magic was visible. And that was the age when I didn’t even understand what glamour or for a fact even fame is! So when my first show was grandly put about, the then Chief Minister attended it. That was exactly how my career began. So for me on a personal level, fame has been a part of my career, so has glamour, it existed then, it persists now, so never does overconfidence seem to be very much an issue to say.” Putting it simply, she brought about the point of growing up with talent. Queerly, to think of, does a child always begin with imagining that she would be a part of a mega industry rather than just performing for herself? That anticipation of where she’s being lead to marks a crazy confusion in the life of an artist. “To be completely honest, yes, I did think that the talent is leading me to some place grand. I could foresee my career with magic, art and what not around. However, I truly did never expect this transition, you know! I did never know I would be assimilated with a streaming, or filming culture. That for me has not just given me a new hypo graph to live up to but also, something I truly wanted to do. Having youthful energy, I wrote books over mentalism and magic, I had art shows to perform but none of it made me as satisfied as being a part of this industry makes me. That is the exact meaning for transition and unknowingly yet beautiful, I get pushed and mingled in the industry.” When the transition of career happens to be natural, there are a lot of changes one needs to adapt to. There was a demand for the talent I held, but it was never a career that I would want to perform. Thus till the pandemic hit, I really didn’t think of it. However, when the pandemic hit, the work stopped, I was barred from home and that was exactly when I began with YouTube streaming and making videos. So the transition was never sudden, it just happened slowly. I had to adapt, accept and identify that I was away from the stage, I had screens to connect with people to, and performing live had a very different sense. That adaption was actually challenging because it brought me to a stage where I had to recognise my career scope and recognize what exactly was to be done. You know, I didn’t go to school, I didn’t go to college, I was just working all the while, and now I was here where I had to sit and just do nothing. That was more challenging for me. So I remember, starting off with an online show, ‘Magic being performed online’, that somewhat pulled me through the pandemic dilemma. While streaming on YouTube was the exact game changer I was looking for because looking back, I was having fun doing it. Little did I know that it was the beginning of a novel spectrum of my career!” All this while, Suhani mentioned the Pandemic to be a revolution in all senses However, through all of this happening, there is a high doubt of where art forms are leading to when it comes to India, because there's a lot to do with glamour here as well. “A bit contrary to what you said, India is filled with art forms with diverse roots. It’s not even similar, there is a difference in totality. And truly, in my understanding, we are always attracted to glamour. You see a beautiful rose, its glamour, desire of living in a house I glamour, and that will always be appreciated but here it’s more about how you understand art to be. Because art is also glamorous, art also is beautiful and that goes hand in hand. The window to the world during the pandemic was their phones. People were seeing direction, cinematography and all of it came from art. And whatever the screens passed on to people was art. People eventually started valuing art, realising that when nothing works, and its art that they can rely on.” Mentioning the importance of art and growing up with it, there is a lot of superstitious association with magic. Dealing with which stands out from any coaching. “Since childhood, I was looked at as a ‘DEVI’, saying I can heal everything possible. Earlier, people confused me with a musician and there I had to sort out the exact meaning of a magician, after which, a lot of people came to me asking me to heal their illnesses or asking me solve their problems. This was exactly what shifted me away from any sort of superstitious association since childhood. I give ted talks speaking against superstitions. Hence I always say, ‘I CANNOT READ MINDS, I CAN CREATE AN ILLUSION OF READING MIND’.” Just adding illusions cannot definitely define it as magic. However, according to Suhani, Guzaarish is a movie that utilises pieces of magical elements. That’s exactly where she leaves you with… Wonder how to deal with magic, because every potential of yours is magic if you know how to use it!! It begins when Glamour meets Art #CinematographicMyst #ArtGrows #NotCharmingMinds #MagicOnRise #childhooddreams #Acculturation #Pamdemicsmashes #coverstory SEARCH Karishma Kotak Playing Her Innings In Fashion, Sports And Fitness COVER STORIES Musings With Maryam Zolghadr COVER STORIES Madhura Naik talks about the Life of an Actress COVER STORIES Kavya Thapar And Her Versatile Acting Career That Cuts Across Regional Lines COVER STORIES Ahsaas Channa Talks About Her Mother Being The Inspiration Behind Her Career COVER STORIES POPULAR POSTS Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Dialogues That Never Disappoint With Actor Saqib Ayub 4 April 2024 COVER STORIES by Anjali Educate, Empower, Excel: Priyanka Chahar Choudhary's Inspirational Overture 15 November 2023 COVER STORIES by Akshra Khandelwal Purab Kohli’s Cinematic Expedition Through Films, Travel And Self-Expression 22 September 2023 COVER STORIES by Aparajita Jaiswal Exploring The Path Of Aspiring Actors And Producers: Insights From Anil Singh Chandel 6 September 2023 COVER STORIES RELATED POSTS Advertisement

by Aishwarya Ethiopia: a country seven years behind the rest of the world 1 November 2022 TRAVEL Advertisement Advertisement What if I say that, you can go back in time? Back in time, that too seven years back in time than the rest of the world. That’s unbelievable, right? Well, that’s possible if you plan to travel to Ethiopia. Yes, you read that right. Ethiopia is an African country known for its unique calendar system. The Ethiopian calendar has not only twelve months but, it has thirteen months. It has 12 months of 30 days each and the last month is called “Pagume”- which has five days to it. The month of Pagume has six days in a leap year which comes every four years. Ethiopia’s calendar is derived from the idea that Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden for seven years before they were expelled for their sins. They were promised to be saved by god, and after 5,500 years- the promise was fulfilled. Ethiopians call their calculating method as “Bahere Hasab” which translates to “sea of thoughts”. This calculating method calculates even Jesus Christ’s birth differently. The Catholic Church amended its calculation in 500 AD, but the Ethiopian Church kept it unchanged. You might be wondering, as of which year are they currently living in? According to the Ethiopian calendar, they are living in the year 2014. You will find it even more unique that they celebrate their New Year on the 11th of September. On the leap years, they celebrate it on the 12th of September. They call their New Year “Enkutatash”, where families celebrate and children receive gifts. A special meal is also prepared and a Coffee Ceremony is held- which lasts for hours. Ethiopia is considered the birthplace of coffee and hence, is a heaven for coffee lovers. It is mind-boggling that Ethiopia has a different time system too. You are already feeling alien, I know. Ethiopia has a 12-hour system, where the day starts at six in the morning and ends at six in the evening. So, it's a dawn to dusk and, a dusk to dawn system, where both midday and midnight are at six. It is also to be noted that the Ethiopian calendar is greatly influenced by biblical anecdotes. The first day of the week is called “Ehud”, which means “the first day” in the ancient Ge’ez language- which is the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Church. According to the Ethiopian calculations, they have 365 days and 6 hours, 2 minutes and 24 seconds. Once in 600 years, two minutes and twenty-four seconds add up to the day and form a seventh day- known as Rena Mealt and Rena Lelit. Moreover, every 600 years, a unique star called Aqede comes out and shadows the sun causing a full solar eclipse. Now, the internet is amused by this fact and is reacting in many ways. Many consider it to be cool, some creepy and some even philosophically call time travel. Amusement would be a small word to describe the reaction of the netizens. You and I are from the same world as Ethiopia is. Ethiopia makes us wonder, if time is actually, just an illusion. What do you think? Well, now many of you will be convinced to visit Ethiopia for a much-needed retreat (Read: time travel). For the ones who aren't, have some other reasons for visiting Ethiopia too. The arid plains, majestic mountains, lush greens, scenic lakes; ask for it and you have it. Let me also mention the majestic, 150ft, Blue Nile Falls for the win. Travel makes us wander and wonder, maybe that’s why we love traveling so much. On to the next destination, as our hearts keep wandering through the timelines. You might be wondering, as of which year are they currently living in? According to the Ethiopian calendar, they are living in the year 2014. #Ethiopia #EthiopianCalendar #SevenYearsBehind #Travel #Explore #TravellingFacts #Africa #EthiopianCulture SEARCH 7 Abandoned Cities In India And Abroad That Are Too Beautiful To Be Forgotten TRAVEL Blue Lagoon – Iceland TRAVEL Palm Islands TRAVEL WORLD PEACE DOME TRAVEL Blood Falls In Antarctica: Explained TRAVEL POPULAR POSTS Advertisement Advertisement By Anushka Sharma Lakshadweep Is A Heaven In Disguise And Here Is Why 3 April 2024 TRAVEL By Anushka Sharma If Uzbekistan Isn’t On Your Travel List, Here Is Exactly Why It Should Be 21 March 2024 TRAVEL By Anushka Sharma The Fashion Capitals Of Asia: Exploring Style Beyond Borders 19 March 2024 TRAVEL By Anushka Sharma The Best Countries You Should Visit With A Budget Of Less Than A Lakh Rupees 3 March 2024 TRAVEL RELATED POSTS

by Priti Sharma Male Fashion and Masculinity 8 November 2022 FASHION Advertisement Advertisement “Fashion is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.”- Orson Welles. A flower of creativity has blossomed in men’s fashion in recent years, igniting the menswear renaissance and refashioning archaic historical ideas of what it means to be masculine or feminine. In particular, feminine and masculine have been shaped and constrained by the gendered expectations of fashion: skirts and dresses are girly, whereas suits are for men; heels are for women, and sports or athletic gear is more masculine. This debate over who should wear what has persisted throughout history. Because of these harmful ideas about what it means to be a man, men are expected to dress nicely to be considered "truly masculine," or else they become weak, frail, feminine, or gay. But none of these terms—"feminine," "gay," "soft," or "fragile"—should ever be used as a derogatory epithet. “The ‘manly men’ are those who have the strength and courage to dress in whatever they are confident and comfortable with and most importantly of their preference.” For many centuries, the way men dressed was regulated—with strict guidelines—in terms of their position in the social hierarchy. Fashion has long been political and associated with power. Men in the seventeenth century were demonstrating traits of power when they appeared in flamboyant velvet and lace ensembles, caps decorated with ostrich feathers, and red-heeled shoes. The French Revolution ushered in significant change as well as the beginnings of more gender-neutral male attire. Male fashion these days follows different channels of transformation. The regular grooming of males is increasingly including makeup. The goal of skincare for men does not include making them seem attractive. In Western consumer shops, the moisturizer was formerly prohibited, but today it's ubiquitous, according to Gough. Along with other roles traditionally held by women, such as parenting and cooking, "makeup is one of the last bastions of femininity that males are creeping onto." Is the future of masculinity being defined by current trends in fashion? Probably, yes. Billy Porter's performance as "a living piece of political art" as he walked the Oscars red carpet in a tuxedo ball gown is evidence of the changes that have taken place, but when might those Hollywood fantasies come true for the average person? While certain Dusty Springfield-inspired miniskirts (from Charles Jeffrey) are regarded a tad "full-on," leopard print, neon, and "mirts"—men's skirts—are highlighted in British GQ's chart of menswear trends for Autumn/Winter 2019. Harry Styles utilizes the language of fashion to debunk common notions about what it means to be a man. Styles has now been able to modify the stereotypical image of conventional masculinity that the media marketed during his One Direction days as an ultra-male womanizer by changing his appearance. He cheerfully explains that he cherishes being in touch with his femininity as he openly flaunts nail paint, glittery suits, tutus, tiaras, and gowns today. No less of a man is Styles as a result of this. However, the boundaries imposed by toxic masculinity are starting to dissolve as menswear possibilities finally move away from this constricting gendered split. In December 2020, Styles became the first guy to appear alone on the cover of Vogue while proudly wearing a dress. Many people appreciated his cover, but it also sparked debate. In response, conservative writer Candace Owens tweeted, "There is no civilization that can thrive without strong males... Bring back the strong guys”. When he shared another image of himself posing for his Variety cover shot in a baby blue pleated suit with white ruffles and a V-neck cut, Styles deftly flipped her statements on their head by explicitly repeating them. His article exposes the toxic masculinity that permeates our culture and demonstrates the fact that a guy may define what it means to be "manly" for himself. Whether he is wearing a dress or not, he is still just as much of a man. Contrasted sharply with 19th-century fashion, which grew much more gender-specific, is this opulently masculine style. Men who wore skirts stopped wearing them once trousers became the norm. The "gentleman" was developed, and the suit developed into the pinnacle of masculine style, signifying male virility, power, and professionalism. In the modern office, menswear nearly always centers on the suit, which is often simple and dark in color. The tie, another not-so-subtle emblem of manhood, completes the look. However, the boundaries imposed by toxic masculinity are starting to dissolve as menswear possibilities finally move away from this constricting gendered split. While the western world is comfortable with women wearing trousers and male attire but a slight change in male fashion and beauty standards questions their masculinity. Because of cultural changes, there is no longer a harmful clothing code for being a guy. Even Daniel Craig attended the most recent James Bond premiere in a pink velvet suit. Daniel Craig's ability to dazzle the red carpet in a vision of pink illustrates just how much the idea of "manliness" has altered. As Harry Styles has demonstrated, being a man today can mean anything one wants it to mean. The'manly guys' are those who have the guts and strength to dress whatever they like. #MaleFashion #Masculinity #Feminine #Manly #Gender #GenderSpecific #BillyPorter #HarryStyles #Masculine #DanielCraig #Skincare #MakeUp SEARCH The Rich Heritage of Indian Handloom FASHION Fashion In The 19th Century FASHION Colour Psychology in Fashion: Explained FASHION The Influence Of Kanye West On Fashion FASHION K-Pop Fashion And Its Impact On Global Wardrobe FASHION POPULAR POSTS Advertisement Advertisement By Anushka Sharma These Fashion Trends Are Literally Scary For Your Health 1 April 2024 FASHION By Anushka Sharma India Is Finally Having A Major Fashion Moment 23 March 2024 FASHION By Anushka Sharma Fashion Trends: What's Hot In 2024 22 March 2024 FASHION By Anushka Sharma Is Africa The Next World Leader In Fashion 20 March 2024 FASHION RELATED POSTS