I was truly fed up. It was 3 years since I held my last job. My younger son was all of 2 and very naughty. My elder son was 6 and very sick. He had high fever; we were suspecting typhoid that was rampant in our area in those days. I was at the brink of my patience handling two cranky kids and was missing a safe domain sorely. I hated the isolation and the constant being stuck up at home bit. Quickly checking my mails on my computer (those days I used to hardly even find time to check mails everyday), I had a brainwave. I went to blogger. In 15 minutes, Rachna says was born. The inspiration of the name came from a certain open chat window. Frankly, I had no clue what a blog was and what I wanted to do with mine. It began as an online diary – a place to vent and write down memories.
Excitedly, I sent out the link to my husband who was quite surprised and pleased. He used to have a private blog back then. He was blogging since 2002 I think. It was in many days that he felt some happiness and excitement in me. And his was the first comment on my blog, my new baby! It was exactly 5 years ago to this day – 16th July 2008. And just a few posts shy of 600, I have been writing, sharing and interacting ravenously since then.
Today, I write with a heart filled with gratitude for every single person who has ventured here and has been a part of my blogging journey. I won’t thank my husband because I don’t need to thank him :). But I am sure he knows how much this blog owes him. Thanks are due to my family, especially my sister, Renu, who well is the friend, philosopher and guide in my life and my son, Siddharth, who started blogging himself a year back and has been my most ardent reader. He reads all my posts diligently. My son, Gautam, who hates my blog because he misses out on all the meets that bhaiya and I go to :). My wonderful friends who read me, support me and critique me – Apurva, Shaheen, Mukul, Bart, Iliana, Manika, Prateek and many others.
And to all of you, my blogger buddies. Some of you I have known for a while, some I’ve met personally and some I’ve come to know recently but each one is special to me. To all my truly wonderful guest posters who have been gracious enough to share their fabulous work on my blog and to those who gave me their real estate to guest post on. And, to the blogging communities of Indiblogger, mommy bloggers, women bloggers, Bangalore bloggers and others that have opened out my world to many wonderful souls.
Many of my blog posts have been published in the newspapers, and my blog was the stepping stone to my career in Content Writing for which I will always owe her thanks!
For me the single biggest reason that I continue to blog is to chronicle events, thoughts and experiences from my personal life that my children will hopefully revisit someday. I imagine that it will be a beautiful thing to see their own memories from their mom’s eyes.
And the other reason I love blogging is in knowing and meeting wonderful, multifaceted folks, some of whom I have come to bank upon a lot and they have become really fabulous friends.
May we continue to enrich each other’s lives through our own blogging journeys. Who knows what the future holds? But the first five years have been so much fun!
See you around at the blogs :).
Happy anniversary to ‘Rachna Says’
I really like the story of how this space got its name. You write very well and I love the topics you write on. The language is lucid and the themes thought-provoking. Here’s to you, your wonderful family, and your lovely blog. More power to you all! 🙂
Thank you DC for all the wishes! I am so glad to have found you through blogging. We go back a pretty long time, and it is reassuring to see you at my blog. Thank you for your incredible support and love!
Wow Rachna five years!! Congratulations from the deep of my heart. I can relate to so many reasons here. I am a novice…just starting but already feel a bit richer, a lot better. Thanks to you and all the others for showing me the pathway!!
Looking forward to the next five, ten, twenty years from your pen 😀
Thanks Sfurti so much. And you are a way smarter novice than I ever was. I love reading your mommy escapades. Thanks for all your warm wishes!
Congratulations on completing five wonderful years in blog-o-sphere. And, if your husband reads your blogs, there is no further joy, I assume. Wish you a long and great journey ahead 🙂
Thank you so much, Diwakar, for the warm wishes. Yes, my husband reads my blogs, not all though :).
Hey congrats… You write super from last some month i reading ur post and you have super skill and humour keep writing wait for more post god bless u :):):)
Thank you so much, Jitendra for your warm words!
what an epic moment indeed and how fortunate for the rest of us that you made that decision!! It’s so wonderful to know someone of the same wavelength, even though we have never met! Hope you celebrate with cake and yummy spicy food!! 😀
You are so generous with your compliments, Roshni. Thank you so much. And I am so glad to have met you and also for the warmth and friendship that we share. You’ve got it — spicy food it is :).
Celebration time!May your blog keep spreading the sunshine on the blog world, Rachna:)
Thank you so much Rahul for your warm presence at my blog, always!
Congrats on completing 5 years of Blogging. 600 posts – wow! I started before you and have not even hit 300.
Thanks K! And your blog is one of my favorite hops. You already know that!
Congrats Rachna. I can see how much you are enjoying blogging…
It is indeed a wonderful thing to do something which we like and adore..
Happy blogging
Thanks a bunch, Bhavana! Absolutely, I love blogging. And for this specific reason — all the fabulous interaction, fun, camaraderie, engaging discussions sometimes heated, but the process is great/
5 years!! Pretty cool! A very happy blogoversary to you, Rachna! Congratulations and keep up the great work! 🙂
Thank you Shilpa! And thanks for being a special part of this journey.
Congratulations first and with you through and through on this about enriching each others lives…through our experiences and blogging on those experiences and thoughts. 🙂
Thank you Shivani! Glad we connect through our blogging experiences.
Hi Rachna, the moment I saw your comment on Ritu’s post I thought is she the Rachna Parmar I guess I read your posts on parentous. and yes you are a gifted writer. Keep up the good work. I too completed 7 years of blogging and though have been meaning to write a post on it, I find myself hard-pressed for time with an active five year old demanding all my attention.
Awww you are so sweet and kind, Swati! So glad to have you on my blog. Thank you for such warm words. Wow, 7 years! That’s amazing. Do write about your journey and send me a link when you do. I can imagine how it is with a precocious young child. But blogging does give us that fun break, doesn’t it!
Hugs, Rachna, on your completion of five years of blogging. Let me also add my thanks to Rachna Says, for finding me a wonderful friend! The fact that Sid reads your blog is testimony to the kind of stuff you write on — informative, clean and good. I am sure Gautam will soon begin loving it the same way as his brother 🙂
Hugs right back! And when my favorite friend, Zephyr comes by, every post becomes special. I thank her too for giving me you as a treasured friend. You have been an inspiration with both your posts and comments and your blog is a place where I connected with some lovely bloggers. Thank you for everything! Every compliment that you give is absolutely cherished by me. About Gautam, I hope so too :).
Happy Anniversary… wishing you many more. 😀
Thanks so much, doc :).
Happy 5th Anniverssary, Rachna! Congratulations! 🙂
We have few things in common, a sister named Renu, two kids (though I have daughters) and almost similar reasons for taking up blogging. I am a regular reader of your posts since the time I read your guest post on Indian American Mom recently. Love reading a fellow Mom’s experiences. Glad to meet you indeed. 🙂
Hey thanks so much, Renu, for your warm words. Glad to meet a fellow mom too. It’s a pleasure to have you here.
You are welcome. 🙂
I am Rekha and I too have a sister named Renu. 🙂
Thank you so much. Sorry for that typo, Rekha *bangs myself on the head*. :).
Happy Anniversary Rachna !! May you and your blog keep growing with each passing day! And may we get the pleasure of reading your posts day after day 🙂
Thank you Naba for your lovely wishes! The journey is happy because I connected with lovely friends like you.
Happy Blogversary!! Keep blogging to preserve mental hygeine 🙂
haha Good one. Thanks Deepak :).
Five good years!!! I have started reading you very recently but love it 🙂 here is to a bright future for your blog 🙂
Thanks so much, Smita :). Der aaye durust aaye ;-), ek doosre ko dhoond hee liya. I really admire how you can do blog challenges!
Congratulations, Rachna. 5 years is a long time and how you’ve grown in the little over a year I’ve known you. Here’s to another 5! 🙂
PS: I don’t get your updates either 🙁
Thank you so much Corinne for your warm presence on my blog! Thanks for letting me know. I will check about the updates. Usually they go out a day after the post is put up.
Congratulations and here’s hoping you continue the good run in the blog world. I enjoy reading your posts and do find that we share a lot in common 🙂 Best wishes!
Thank you so much RGB! I feel similarly about you.
Whoa, 5 years? That is fab. Here is raising a toast to many more fabulous years to come. Congrats and Cheers!
Thank you so much, Vinita, for all the warmth and wishes.
Congrats! And three of your family members are into it. Amazing! Waiting for the youngest member debut 🙂
hehe At the moment, he really abhors all that mom and brother do on the computer. The husband took a backseat in blogging when I plunged in :). Thanks for the wishes!
Congrats Rachna. Wishing you the best always. I am glad I met you here. I can feel the special connection with your blog, your views and your lovely family. Love.
Thank you so much, Alka. I am so glad to have met you as well and look forward to meeting you in real life! We do share so much in common.
Happy 5 th birthday! Please give us an online treat! 😉
Thank you Rinzu! Hopefully when we meet, I will :).
Loved reading this. Wish u many more years of solace and happiness in your writing 🙂
hearty congos
Thanks so much, Afshan! Nice connecting with you through the blog.
Congratulations Rachna. Five feels like such a sold number. I love the way you write and it was so great to meet you personally. Keep up the good work and good luck for many more years of blogging.
Thank you so much, Vinita, for the warm wishes. So happy to have connected with you and met you as well!
Congratulations on your third baby completing 5 years. 🙂
Thanks so much, Pooja. At least this one is a girl :).
5 years is no mean feat. That too with two kids and a husband in tow! Kudos to you! Keep it going for many many years 🙂
Thank you so much, Ashwathy! I guess I loved blogging for it provided me a great distraction, even stress buster.
Your story seems so close to my heart Rachna! Feeling isolated-Check, Wanting a safe domain-Check, Husband being the biggest cheerleader-double check and blogging becoming a stepping stone to other things in life- Absolutely!!
Many many congratulations for achieving this milestone and I hope you cross many more in the coming years.
And so lovely to connect to you, Swapna. We moms share so much in common, don’t we? Thank you for your warm wishes.
Hey babes…thanks for blogging…cos’ that why we met. Best wishes in all your endeavors.
Thank you Janu! It has been a pleasure knowing you. And wish you all the best as well.
congratulations Rachna.. I started reading your blog only recently and glad I found it 🙂 🙂 …
Thanks so much, Suku :). Glad to have met you as well.
Congratulations Rachna on completing 5 yrs of blogging.. Wish you many more wonderful years of writing and sharing.. oh.. and let me tell you my blog is just 5 days old..haahaa!! not sure why I started.. not sure how many ppl around my age blog..(2 less 60)..lol..I know none of my friends who do it.. but keep going ..will look forward for yr posts..
Wow, 5 days old! I am sure you will have fun. Don’t think about age. I have some very good friends who are senior citizens. There is Usha Menonji who started blogging recently. She is all of 70+ and her enthusiasm can give us a run for our money. There is gardenerat60, Zephyr, BK Chowlaji who are all in the older age bracket. So go for it and enjoy your time.
We all know how much dedication, hard-work and focus is required to keep the blog alive and growing for five long years. Kudos to you, girl!
Thank you so much, Purba! And the journey has been special because of talented and inspiring blogger friends like you.
Congratulations. To you and the people who helped you make it. And here’s to the next five!!
Thanks Subho! Happy to have met you in this journey.
Many congratulations 🙂 may we continue to keep reading the fabulous and thought provoking stuff that you always write about. Happy to know you.
Thank you so much Jas! I share a personal connect with you and am so glad that we met in this journey. Thanks for the warm wishes.
Same here Rachna 🙂
I thought I has commented on your post and congratulated you on this achievement. Looks like memory serves me false.
To last for 5 years may just be longevity but to have maintained consistent quality for this long is an amazing achievement. So, let us raise a toast to it on this meet and a toast for many more years to come.
I am proud that I have also played a wink-and-he-is-gone bit part in this amazing journey with one guest post 🙂 And glad that I gained a friend in the process.
You congratulated me on FB :). Thank you so much, Suresh for the warm words! I am glad to have found a friend too. Let’s raise a toast to our blogs!
Hi-5, Rachna. Congratulations on the milestone and here’s wishing you more. Loved the history of your blog and I especially liked how you refer to your blog as ‘she.’
Cheers and happiness.
Joy always,
Susan
She’s the only girl I have :). I can dress her pretty and yet she has fiery opinions. Thanks for the warm words and a hi-five back!
Six years! That should make you the Grand Mom iamong bloggers….hehhehh. Hope you have nominated your blog in the 60+ category, among others, for the IB awards!
Jokes apart, kudos for your marvelous achievement. And thanks for hosting me on your wonderful blog!
Pair chuo besharam :-P! And 60+ category will have the toughest competition so I chickened out :).
Thank you Rickie for the wishes. And it was a pleasure having you on my blog and also meeting you on this journey!
Congratulations, Rachna. What a feeling. Gotta love blogging for the connections we make. 🙂 My blog is ten this month. 😀 Hugs! Looking forward to many more years together!
Absolutely, Vidya :). And 10 wow, you are such an inspiration in more ways than one! hugs back and it has been so wonderful meeting you and knowing you. <3
Happy anniversary, Rachna!! 5years! Wow–feels like a proper marriage to me 😛 and 600 posts–girl, you are one fertile woman 🙂 Your consistency for whatever period I have seen amazes me, your focus and your values unrelenting…it is good to see people like you chug away as you do. Wishing you many more toasts to many more blog adventures!
Love your analogies, Bhavana :). I think of her as my little girl. I can dress her up, pamper her, love her and yet teach her strong values and independence. She has a mind of her own and fiery views too! So lovely connecting with you on this journey. And thank you for your warm words. They mean a lot to me.
That’s such a wonderful post, Rachna! Congratulations! May you keep writing like the way you do and feeling enriche. It’s been a pleasure reading you 🙂
Thank you so much, Deeps! I am so glad that we met through blogging. And the pleasure of reading is mutual. Thanks again for the warm wishes.
Congratulations, Rachna!!! Time for a cake and candles 🙂 You have done really well – 5 years and look at how many readers you have! Impressive! And the range of topics you cover – I really enjoy how you have something for everyone, and most of all – the genuine tone of your posts, your dedication to write well. I am delighted to see my name mentioned, but credit goes to you again – you provoke me to voice my opinion, it’s your posts that make me look forward to the next one 🙂 Many thanks for sharing your world with us!
Thank you so much, Iliana — for the warm words and for reading, assimilating and providing me so many stimulating conversations over time. Many thanks to you and all other readers. I write because you read. Love having you back here :).
Congratulations Rachna .You have given us an eminently readable blog and also established yourself on other forums-good going indeed!
Thank you so much, Indu!
I started blogging to combat empty nest syndrome, and now both my sons blog too! It gave me confidence to write my first novel and the rest, as they say, is history (herstory?)
Look at the amazing things you have done. You are an inspiration, Ritu!
Thank you
Wow..Five years is a longtime and that too a successful blogger.
My best wishes for future too.
Thank you so much, Chowlaji! It is nice to have met you through blogs.
Congrats Rachna …Your posts are interesting – just the right size – simple yet warm…Way to go ! 🙂
Thank you so much, Jaish!
Congratulations straight from the heart to an inspiring Blogger 🙂 It was great to know .. about how it all happened. Happy Birthday,a litle belated , dear blog!! This 16th july marks a special day for my site as well .. not born on the same date but I achieved few targets set 🙂 I will remember this date for two reasons now 🙂
It was very inspiring reading about your blog changed things for you 🙂
I wish you all the very best for future 🙂
thank you, thank you, thank you for all your kind words, My Say :).
🙂
Hi Rachna. Hearty congratulations to you on your 5 successful years of blogging. You have been a source of inspiration and motivation to several new entrants in this journey of blogging!! As a novice in this field I feel proud to be associated with you. Your blogs have taught me a lot! Wish you all the best . May you get more accolades from friends and well wishers all over the world!!
Thank you Ushaji! It has been a pleasure meeting you through the blog. You are an inspiration not only to me but to all the people out there. Love reading about your lovely family.
Congratulations for completing 5 years. 🙂 It is strange that we started writing at almost the same time but never came across each other till last year. It has been a pleasure knowing you Rachna.
Yes, it is quite strange, isn’t it? Better late than never! And it has been a pleasure knowing you and reading you Amit!
Congratulations on the fifth anniversary Rachana :).. Just stumbled upon your blog and loved the flawless style of your writing. I myself started blogging an year back and I wish I too would continue writing and celebrate so many anniversaries :).. Keep up the good work!!
Thanks you so much for your kind words, Puneeta, and for your lovely wishes. I am sure you will do as well and celebrate many milestones in your blogging journey.