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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Modi’s ‘Melody’ diplomacy stuns the world

Overjoyed investors buy shares of a wrong company after the PM’s gift Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday gifting his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni 'Melody' toffees, reviving the light-hearted "Melodi" wordplay associated with the two leaders on social media. Meloni thanked Modi and shared a video on the social media in which she could be heard saying, “Prime Minister Modi brought as a gift, a very, very good toffee - Melody.” Modi, who was also seen in the video, burst...

Modi’s ‘Melody’ diplomacy stuns the world

Overjoyed investors buy shares of a wrong company after the PM’s gift Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday gifting his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni 'Melody' toffees, reviving the light-hearted "Melodi" wordplay associated with the two leaders on social media. Meloni thanked Modi and shared a video on the social media in which she could be heard saying, “Prime Minister Modi brought as a gift, a very, very good toffee - Melody.” Modi, who was also seen in the video, burst into laughter as Meloni jokingly referred to the "Melody" toffee while showcasing the gift. The hashtag "Melodi", a blend of Modi and Meloni's names, was coined by the Italian prime minister during the COP28 in Dubai in 2023 and later went viral on social media following the warm interactions between the two leaders at global events. Modi, who arrived in Rome on Tuesday, is on the final leg of his five-nation tour to the UAE, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy from May 15-20. Modi’s gift not only floored the social media, but also earned gushing gratitude from the manufacturer of the sweet candy, Parle Products, in Vile Parle, Mumbai. “Thank You. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for taking Parle Melody to the global stage. A proud moment for all of us at Parle Products to see an Indian favourite being shared across borders,” said a social media post from @ParleFamily, a 97-year-old company. Parle Products describes Melody: “Parle Melody brings to you an irresistible layer of caramel on the outside & a delightful chocolate filling inside. Open & pop it in your mouth & relish the unique experience. It won't be too long before you start asking yourself the age-old question "Melody Itni Chocolaty Kyun Hai?”.” Cong Attacks Modi Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other Congress leaders also attacked Modi saying he continues his PR even when the economy is suffering. However, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal hit back at Gandhi, accusing him of "hating India" and refusing to tolerate the "global respect" the country has garnered under Modi's leadership. Gandhi, who is on a visit to his constituency Raebareli and Amethi, said on X, "This isn't leadership, it's a gimmick." At a time farmers, labourers, traders and others in the country are all in tears, the prime minister is laughing and making reels while BJP folks are clapping along, the former Congress president said in his post in Hindi. "An economic storm is raging over our heads, and our prime minister is busy handing out candies in Italy!" he said. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge attacked Modi over issues of "rising" prices, unemployment, paper leaks, "dampening" investment and "sinking" Rupee, saying the prime minister continues his PR even as the economy is suffering. Shares turn sweet but the company was mistaken Shares of Parle Industries Ltd saw frenzied buying on Wednesday, surging five per cent to hit the upper circuit limit after Meloni posted the video. Investors wasted no time and flocked to the counter to buy the stock. Shares of the firm jumped to Rs 5.25 - the highest trading permissible limit for the day - on the BSE. On volume terms, 8.57 lakh shares of the firm were traded on the BSE during the day. But, there is a catch! Investors mistook Parle Industries for the maker of Melody toffees. Parle Products, the FMCG major, is the manufacturer of Melody toffees and is not listed on the stock exchanges. Parle Industries Ltd is a diversified commercial services provider, engaged in the business of infrastructure & real estate, and paper, waste paper and allied products. The history of swadeshi toffee is entwined with the country’s Independence and the company, House of Parle was founded in 1928 by Mohanlal Dayal Chauhan, a tailor from Pardi near Valsad, then part of the Bombay Province. As the country was flooded with imported sweets and confectionery, he decided to give it a ‘desi’ touch and flavour, and with a band of 12 workers, he launched the Parle products from a musty old warehouse near Vile Parle east station, when large parts areas of Vile Parle west were still marshes dotted with a few old bungalows and chawls. Later, he visited Germany to master the art of confectionery and returned with machinery worth Rs 60,000 to churn out simple sweets, toffees and locally flavoured Indian confections at affordable prices – willy-nilly challenging the imported British offerings. It was in 1983 that the chocolate Melody toffee. -WITH PTI

When the Lights Fade, the Glow Remains

The end of the festive season brings us back to our everyday rhythm lighter in spirit, renewed in energy, and quietly strengthened by the joy we’ve just lived.

The festive season always brings with it a special kind of magic — the streets come alive with shimmering lights, laughter fills our homes, and our hearts feel lighter and happier. For a few precious days or weeks, life slows down in the most beautiful way. We pause from our regular routines, take time to decorate our homes with care, prepare festive meals filled with love, exchange sweets and gifts, meet our loved ones, and celebrate with warmth, zest, and enthusiasm. It becomes a season not only of reflection, joy, and togetherness but also of gratitude and a renewed sense of hope.


But as every celebration must eventually find its close, the festive season too passes — leaving behind not emptiness, but a quiet, lingering glow. The diyas may have been extinguished and the decorations carefully packed away, yet the warmth and light they created continue to linger in our hearts. Gradually, the rhythm of life begins to change once more, calling us back to our everyday routines, our work, and our personal pursuits — but with spirits a little lighter and hearts still touched by the season’s joy.


There is always a certain stillness in this transition — a tender pause when we sense the silence after the songs and the calm that follows the celebrations. Yet it is within this quiet moment that the true essence of festivals reveals itself. Festivals are not simply meant to interrupt our routines; they are meant to restore and recharge us, to remind us of what truly matters, and to fill our hearts with renewed energy and purpose for the days to come.


Now, as the festive season draws to a close, we return to our everyday lives feeling sharper, lighter, and more focused. We have celebrated abundance — and now it is time to channel that renewed energy into growth and purpose. The joy we shared with our families, the laughter that echoed among friends, and the gratitude we felt during our prayers — all of it settles within us as a quiet strength, a gentle undercurrent that continues to guide and sustain us through the days ahead.


Returning to routine need not mean monotony. It is simply about finding our rhythm once again — waking up early, working with a renewed sense of enthusiasm, cooking simple meals after the festive indulgence, and spending unhurried evenings in reflection, reading, or simply sitting quietly with a cup of tea. The pace of life may have slowed, yet the joy can remain unchanged, as long as we carry a little of that festive spirit within us.


Every season and every celebration teaches us balance — the gentle harmony between pause and progress, between celebration and discipline. Festivals remind us to live with love, warmth, and light, while our daily routines teach us to grow with purpose, patience, and quiet determination. Together, they form the melody of a life that is both joyful and meaningful — one that moves gracefully between festivity and everyday peace.


So, as we ease back into our regular days, let us not lose the gentle glow of the festive season. Let us keep that warmth alive within our hearts, allowing it to shine through our words and actions. Each day can still be greeted with gratitude, every task performed with dedication, and every moment shared with the same joy and generosity of spirit that we felt during the celebrations.


The festivals may have drawn to a close, but life carries on — vibrant, hopeful, and full of promise. Let us welcome this gentle change of pace, embrace the new rhythm, and move forward with the same zest, enthusiasm, and quiet joy that the season of celebration brought into our lives.


Festivals may come and go, yet life itself is an endless celebration. Every day, every passing moment, is a precious gift from God. Gratitude has the power to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, and when we choose to see the positive in each moment, every breath becomes a festival in itself. When we learn to live in this spirit, life forever feels radiant, joyful, and truly celebratory.


(The writer is a tutor based in Thane.)

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