Butterfly - Haiku

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 Seeking luscious nectar  

 Dreamer sets out alone 

 Loved ones wait .

Written for Carpe Diem . The prompt - Butterfly 

Strangers - Haiku

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Strangers , they unite 

In dim lit room - unreined 

Lovers for one night . 

Written for Carpe Diem Haiku Challenge . The prompt - Strangers .

The Other World

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She pressed her pale feverish palms strongly on her ears , crouching on the ice cold floor , as if to prevent even the slightest of sound waves from sifting through her eardrum . 

' What is all that clamour about ?! Was she in one of those terrifying nightmares that usually haunt her every night ? '

She jerked her head roughly up and down , right and left and in many other un named directions seeking the source of the distressing sound . An iridescent flash of light blipped before her eyes and enchanted her into following it , as the overlapping colours seeped through the multiple daunting layers of her retina . She exclaimed in fervour as a frail yellow bird adorning little black spots on it , a sight she had never seen before , limped towards her from a distance. As she continued her mesmerised stare , right before her eyes , the bird started transforming into a ferocious tiger , a huge yellow one with black stripes zig zagging haphazardly on its skin . Before she could dodge back , the tiger propelled onto her with all its might , its razor sharp claws , mercilessly gnawing onto her silky soft skin . She watched in horror as the blue veins chanelling through her arms cracked open to reveal a wine red pool of alluring liquid . 

' Was it wine ? Or was it just a figment of her imagination ? '

 Torn between a million questions , she felt as if her head was drilled through recurrently with one of those sharp edged whirring machines she had seen them manoevering around deftlythe other day . Mustering all her strength , she grazed her dainty fingers on the luscious wine red pool and directed the stain back to her parched freckled tongue . To her dismay , she realised that she had tasted the awfully sweet flavour of her own blood from her fingers ! 

She watched with wide opened eyes as fresh blood gushed out from her arms as effortlessly as water projecting out from a garden hose . She shrieked in horror , realising she was in danger , not knowing what else to do . She had always felt relieved after a bout of those relentless nerve tearing screams emanating from the depths of her throat . Someone or the other appeared before her to revive her back to her senses after one of those screaming sessions she had mastered herself with painstakingly . Before she could continue any further , she felt a shrivelled cord of metal piercing deeper onto her neck . She gasped as the cord pressed onto her neck stronger and stronger , until her face changed shades from flushed red to a cyanosed blue , dilated blood vessels jutting out from her temples threatening to spurt out any second . She collapsed on the floor as darkness blinded her vision .

 A muffled cry escaped her lips as the nurse injected a shot of tranquiliser into her and fastened the knot of the thick cord that chained  her legs . 

She drifted slowly into one of her calm dreamy states as a distorted image sailed towards her on the flowing waves . It murmered in its mellow voice , a poignant expression shadowing on its face .  

' They cannot save you for long , dear  . The other world is merciless . It wont spare you ! '  
She shut her eyes close forcefully , as if to erase the depressing image from her mind's vision as well and prayed desperately that the next day never arrives . Before she knew she was slowly succumbing to the drug , as it insinuated into the discordant synapses of her mind , offering her schizophrenic mind solace for a brief period of time .  

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Caterpillar - Haiku

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A baby caterpillar  

New to the world - hides

Cocoon of fear . 

Vibrant dreams mature 

Wings slowly sprout - sheds fear

Butterfly flies high . 

Written for the  Carpe Diem Haiku Challenge . Today's prompt is ' Caterpillar ' .

Guest Article For Glad2bawoman

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" There resided in my home ,  a petite and dainty young girl , who used to be her mother’s darling – the apple of her eye .  The girl was every teeny bit a mother’s wistful dream – obedient , disciplined , soft spoken , academically oriented and well groomed . The mother would embark on a floating cloud of heaven when the little girl came first in her class or when she sat snuggling to her every evening chattering about the day’s events , disclosing to her the many well guarded secrets one by one .  The bright lit sunny evenings were better spent basking in the pleasures of an oil massage , after which the mother would retreat to the kitchen to prepare her daughter’s favourite dishes . So overwhelmed by contentment the mother would become when the little girl brushed the  long wavy charm of her locks , slow and with care , as if her whole wonder world resided in those jet black strands .

Past high school , the girl brought fame and fervour to her family through her exam results and her mother found herself encaged by an enticing bubble of emotional satiety . Unfortunately , the bubble was not to last too long . The girl , now all of 18 ,  commenced her college life , carrying with her a baggage enriched with colourful dreams and hopes for an exciting journey ahead . "

                                                      ~~~~~~

I am not yet married , let alone being a parent . Yet , the thick veneer of arrogance and brashness that used to dominate my college days has started crumbling to dried bits , thanks to the revelations that hit me hard over these years . I have contributed a guest article to the Glad 2 b woman website delving deeper into the topic . To read the rest of the article do visit the Glad2bawoman webpage which can be reached at  My Guest Article . I had to trim the article shorter than i had intended to write . Also minute typos remain hidden at a couple of places . Kindly ignore those and leave behind your valuable comments , which would mean a lot .  

Many thanks to the Glad2bawoman team for having requested this guest article from me :) 

                                                  ***************

Full Snow Moon - Haiku

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Milky white blanket      
    Shrouds land and sky, double delight   
 This full snow moon night . 

Written for the Carpe Diem Haiku Challenge . Today's prompt is ' Full Snow Moon ' . 
Full snow moon is the term given to the full moon that occurs in the month of February in North America where it snows during the month of February . 

The Reward

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Raghu cringed in uneasiness as the camera zoomed in on his face . Noticing the queer expression dawning on his face , the man behind the lens alighted from his seat and strolled towards Raghu . He slid his arm around Raghu's shoulder , a warm smile twinkled in his eyes as he said in his mellow tone - " Relax Raghu . There is nothing to be scared of . Just smile softly looking at the transparent screen infront of the camera . Thats all what is needed . " Assuring Raghu with a comforting hug , he retreated back to disappear behind the lens . 

Raghu , hailing from a downtrodden village , was one among the many distraught people who fled his land , allured by the many promising job opportunities in the neighbouring state . Travelling with no ticket was a crime , he had known , yet , his mind was frantic with the anticipation to escape from the strangles of poverty by securing himself with a job , however petty that proved to be . Left high and dry near the railway station premises , as days dragged by , he had started showering words of cuss at himself for being such an impulsive jerk  . Somehow , the sun started shining in his favour gradually . A kind person who happened to walk by while he was weeping silently in a dingy corner of a shop had been magnanimous enough to take him along to appoint him as the security guard of his jewellery shop . Years rolled by gifting him a caring wife and a lovely kid . 

Now , as Raghu sat staring at the camera , he couldnt suppressthe fresh drop of tear that clustered in the corner of his eyes . 

" We are done with you Raghu . Now its your turn little Vichu " 

Raghu watched as his three year old son approached the seat , his face contorting in shyness . The crew belonged to a prominent television channel who had come to cover his family as part of their ' Life in the slum ' live documetary . As a dozen sympathetic eyes focussed on his son , Raghu heard the lady who anchored the show reading out a short account on his son from a file of papers - his son's patient manual . 

" This innocent kid , who yearns with every inch of his mind to go out there and play with his friends is chained to the four walls of his house by the cruel tentacles of a gnawing disease . " The lady went on with her compassionate speech , an air of exhuberance dominating her demeanour . 

Raghu recollected the doctors words as he watched his little son settling on the seat reluctantly . 

' Your son is suffering from a very grave heart disease , Raghu . If not operated in a month's time , the situation would turn even more bleak .  If you could atleast conjure a small sizeable amount , we would admit him . Otherwise you will have take him to the Government Hospital in the nearby town ,where the facilities are bare minimum , i have heard " 

Raghu was jolted up from his thoughts as the crew members started wrapping up their show . Raghu checked his watch and realised that it was almost time for him to return to the shop for his night duty . 

Reaching hastily at the shop , he noticed that the shop owner was still engaging a client . As he was locking his bicycle chain , the shop owner along with his client walked out of the shop , laughing over some trivial joke . 

" Aah Raghu , here take this key . I need to be away from town for the night . Incase i am late , make sure that the first worker to arrive at the shop tomorrow morning  is let in . Keep the key safe . I trust you . You are my most dedicated employee " . The owner said patting his shoulder . 

Raghu slipped into his usual shoddy cubicle outside the shop once the owner left the place . He sweared in pain as the mosquitos started bititng his legs as if in a bout of revenge .  And that was when what the owner's grave reminder struck him deep .  “ Raghu , keep the key safe ! “

Fumbling inside his pocket , he slid the key out . ‘ What if it was God’s way of opening a window to help him out of his misery . Will the saab know if I steal something as unnoticeable as a gold ring .I could get a good amount of money as loan from the lender couldn’t I ?  ‘

Raghu , after dissecting the thought over and over in his mind , decided to put it to action . After having admitted himself inside , he scurried past the counter to the wooden rack accommodating the gold rings . He hurriedly snatched a petite ring from the rung and  scampered back to the door .

 ‘ Are You doing the right thing , Raghu ? ‘

Raghu stopped in his tracks as a voice rumbled from somewhere near him . He realized regretfully that it was his own tainted conscience which just spoke to him . ‘ But I need the money . I cant lose my son . Its no fault of his ! ‘ . He retorted in agony .

The grief striken face of his wife dawned on his mind . She would blame him with harrowing words for letting their son die if he failed to procure the required amount of money . As the gasping state of his son flashed across his eyes , Raghu strengthened his clutch on the ring . His heart was pleading him to go on with the act while his head threatened him with a ‘ No’ .

When Raghu returned to his seat after a few minutes , his cheeks were soaking in tears . He carried no ring in his hands .  

Raghu waited impatiently for the sky to break open , sprinkling the first shower of morning rays to unveil the subtle details of the earth which remained hidded beneath the dark shroud of night . He wasnt feeling good , let alone relieved that his duty for the night was over . The gay chirping of the morning birds failed to paint a pleasant shade on his dreary , dejected life . As the floating bundle of clouds changed shades from crimson to bright yellow , the first worker approached the shop . Raghu was partly relieved of the thought that he could atleast let go off the key , which was threatening to be more and more sinful by each tick of the hour . He slid onto his bicycle and started pedalling slowly towards the tattered lane which led to his house , rather a shack . Emotions and principles were at loggerheads inside his head as he harked back the distressing incident of the previous night . Stealing was never a solution for any extent of adversity . He concluded . He felt a heaviness clogging his heart chambers as the thought of his son drilled through him . He sighed deeply as if  his sorrows would be expelled out of his body merely by the act .  

As he walked into his house , his wife came running to him , panting , her face flushed with joy .  She handed him an envelope urging him to open it .  It contained a letter , rather a small note with a few lines scribbled on it , which read : 

‘ Raghu , I am hereby attaching a cheque for an amount which , i suppose , would be useful for your sons’s surgery . I am a businessman who intends to do charity with part of my monetary assets . I hope your son lives a long happy life ‘ .

“ We are blessed ! Do you think it was the documentary ? But i thought , being of a local channel , nobody would even care to watch it  “ . His wife was almost shrieking out as she enquired curiously.

Raghu failed to hear her rapturous words . He saw the letters smudging in his tears as his mind swelled up in pride . His conscience was rewarded . He knew just that .  

                                                ************

This post is a part of  Write Over The Weekend , an initiative for Indian Bloggers by Blogadda.com

Liebster Ceremony

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           I have been postponding this particular post , part owing to my laziness and part owing to personal setbacks . Better late than never , i suppose . And now as i embark on this super delightful yet arduous procedure to return the acknowledgements of Nine wonderful bloggers , i feel honoured ! 

 First of all , i would like to express my deep felt gratitude to the following bloggers Guspazha , Saro , Mixi , Deepak kripal , Matheikal sir , Karan aylawadi , Akash Govind ,The Whitescape , Tanya Sehgal who nominated me for the Liebster . Thank you ! I owe you all an apology too for procastinating this for far too long . As a penalty i have decided to create a blog roll  and highlight your blogs on my side bar , which will happen soon :) 

I guess every blogger is aware of the rules associated with receiving a leibster award . Due to the bulkiness of the post i am not delving into the details . Let me jump onto the procedure proper . 

. 11 facts about me :

1 . I am an MBBS graduate , currently on a short sabbatical , as i am awaiting my p.g entrance exam results .

2 . I am passionate about reading ,in quite an intense way , that i find myself telling my mother these days that i would rather be in a life long committed and delightful relationship with books than with any of those eligible bachelors she persuades me to take a look at ( :P )

3 . I am trained in Bharatnatyam , something which i am proud of , yet left to rust in the dettol scented corridors of my professional life.

4 . I hate prejudice and pretence the most in a human .

5 . I am a piscean , and my strong hunch is that the piscean section on Linda Goodman's book on Sunsigns was written based on my life . Be it a positive trait , be it a negative trait , I am a perfect living illustration .

6 . I am a movie buff and i am an ardent admirer of malayalam movies in addition to the good hollywood ones . Mohanlal remains my all time favourite actor and from Hollywood it would be Johnny Depp and of lately i am inclined to Christian Bale to some extent . ' Manichithrathazhu ' is my favourite malayalam movie and ' American Beauty ' , favourite Hollywood pick .

7 . I sleep plugging my earphones on , a habit which has been under harsh criticism from my mother  for its probable side effects. I feel myself lost in the music of  Ouseppachan , A.R. Rahman , Yuvan Shankar Raja and Vishal Shekhar . Metallica is my favourite music band . I can listen to ' The Unforgiven ' in loops for a whole 24 hrs .

8 . Weird as it might sound , i shed tears ( not those big scary ones ) when i get nostalgic . I never brood for hours over the past events , but i dont forget them either . 

9 . My bucket list includes - sky diving ( like everybody else ) , trekking the Himalayas , staying for atleast a couple of days in Manhattan ( that much is my extent of addiction to F.R.I.E.N.D.S ) , and to write a best selling , critically acclaimed novel one day .

10 . I ignore people who hurt me like they never even existed , until they apologise for their act .

11 . After wrapping up my education , i would love to spend some time in the tribal areas as part of Medical Camps or awareness programmes . I would love to be associated with an N.G.O which supports ailing kids once i become an accomplished doctor .

Now coming to the Q and A sessions . I would have loved to answer each one of the questions that have been thrown at me , but that would amount to an extremely bulky post . And so , borrowing Panchali madam's idea , i thought of picking 2 out of 11 questions from each set and answering them here . ( Click on their names to view their respective blogs )

 . Whitescape's questions :

1 . The last book you have read ? -  Carry The One by Carol Anshaw .

2.  Movie you can watch over and over ?  Sandesham , a malayalam movie , which is a political satire and  ' You've got mail ' starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan .

. Questions by Tanya Sehgal :

1 . Your favourite cartoon character of all time ? - DeeDee of Dexter's Laboratory . My younger brother used to be a die hard fan of Dexter and he had wanted to be a scientist when he was a kid . I used to tease him , i cant remember why ! Maybe because i was a brat. Though he went on to grab a seat in IIT Mumbai for the Interactive Designing course , he is still that amused Dexter replica for me in my memories :)

2 . How would you describe your life journey in a single word ? - Complicated .

. Questions by Saro  :

1 . What is the purpose of your blog ? - My blog started off as a comfort zone for me to vent out my emotions post a traumatic incident a couple of years back . Gradually it starting evolving to something more professional as i started gaining valuable readers . The concept of a blog turned synonymous with a platform to express my views regarding anything under the sun , which is indeed a boon for any writer . Right now , the purpose of my blog is to kindle my writing skills in my journey to be an author one fine day :)

2 . If you are given an option to name a star what would you name it ? - Compassion . Let the virtue shine down on humans forever .

. Mixi 's Questions:

1 . Who is your favourite person in this world ? - My brother

2 . What is your favourite genre of writing ? -  I love writing poetry , short stories and haikus . But fiction is my most favourite genre . 

. Deepak's  questions :

1 . Can love happen more than once ? Yes . I have seen people falling in a love a second time after brooding for years post break up .

2 . The reason you write ? - Because words keep tugging my heartstrings to let them out .

. Matheikal Sir's Questions :

1 . The holiday destination of your dream ? Ireland for its mesmerising landscape

2 .  Whose company would you prefer if you were to be marooned in an uninhabited island for a week ? - The Lord Of The Rings book series ! I have always wanted to devour it . But the sheer volume of the book has always kept me back . With a long lonely week ahead of me , disappearing into a fantasy world would be the best thing to do , for me atleast :)

 Karan's  Questions :

1 . Your favourite trilogy ? - The Matrix movie series .

2 .  One thing you dont regret doing ? - Walking out of a shallow relationship a couple of years back even when the person threatened to tarnish my character .

. Guspazhar's  Questions :

1 .  How old would you want to be if you had a choice ? - A 3 year old . I need all the leisures of being a naughty brat , sans deadlines , who would curiously look upon the little wonders of the world as if each were a miracle .

2 . What are you procastinating this very moment ? - A long pending return call to a friend ( Now i feel bad ! )

. Akash's questions:

 1. Person you miss this moment ? A close friend who used to sit chatting with me for hours back in college . She is blessed with a baby girl now and i am ecstatic to say the least :)

2 . Which ad do you like on T.V ? - The oreo ad which featured a cute girl imitating her mother :)

And my nominees are :

1 . Ankita Singhal who blogs at A Piece I wrote :  An avid reader , her blog is enriched with literary masterpieces in the form of shortstories , poetry , book reviews and many more . 

2 . Green Speck who blogs at  Live Your Life  :  The wonder writer who happened to pen down 360 amazing posts in a matter of nine months !  A blogger friend who has always been of constant encouragement to me. Check out his blog for the splendid collection of Haikus, poems and stories . 

3 . Saurabh Chawla who blogs at Saurabh's Lounge : A budding writer whose blog deserves to be read more . Visit his space to nourish your time reading some gifted poetry . 

4 . Prasanna Rao who blogs at  Life Under Microscope :  I got acquainted with her blog through BAT and was instantly drawn to her brilliantly penned short stories . Read her and you will agree too . 

5 . Chhavi Vatwani who blogs at Sour Lemons And Tequila :  Her poetic lines are magical . Her blog contains polished , well weaved verses which points to her versatility and briliant hold on language . 

6 .  Odizzey 's blog : Again, a fellow BAT blogger who is blessed with a poetic wand which is sure to take the reader to a wonder land of her creation . Truly mesmersing her words are ! 

7 . Richi Baidwan who blogs at Richi Rich : Her words are lyrical and her stories have a freshness to its narration . Love them for the true protrayal of human emotions in all its rawness . 

8 . Me who blogs at Memoirs Of Me :   Dive into this blog to relish good literary content written in the form of stories and reviews . Me has always been a frequent visitor and an encouraging blogger friend :) .The Salt and Pepper section is a unique section to look forward to ! 

9 .  Meenakshi Malhotra who blogs at Woman n Beyond : Already bestowed with many a recognition she already has stamped her prowess in the blogging field . Her brilliantly crafted haikus should never be missed ! 

10 . Reshma who blogs at Cerebral Babble :  Her blog header is one of a kind . So is her blog . Check out her blog to explore well knit stories and haikus . Her cerebral babbles are delightful indeed ! 

11 . A dreamy Gal who blogs at  Journey Of Dreams : Her blog is the prettiest i have seen . Dont judge a book by its cover , they say . But here , you wouldnt falter even if you come to a hasty conclusion seeing her blog . The contents are impeccable in its richness too . Look out for her profound haikus and creative poetries . 

. Coming to the questions that i have prepared for my nominees :

1 . Your dream holiday destination ?
2  . Favourite movie , music band / musician , author ?
3  . Which do you prefer. scribbling on a piece of paper or typing onto a laptop?
4 .  Have any of your wishes come true ? Tell us about it
5 .  Would you like to own an apartment or a house . reason ?
6  . Favourite time of the day ?
7  . Do you have a best friend ? tell us about the wonderful qualities you like about him / her  .
8  . Any television series / movie you would watch umpteen times over ?
9  . Where would you rather spend your retired life . In your ancestral place or in your current city ?
10 . What would your Bucket list comprise of ?
11 .  Tell us about your current passions in life . 

 Thank you for reading through such a long post .  And congratulations to all the nominees !  Keep writing . Keep blogging  :) As the Indiblogger slogan goes - We blog, therefore we are !

Rouge Flower - Haiku

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Rain drops cluster ,crystal puddle
In flower's heart chamber 
Drip as it sways .

The rouge flower
Like a mother, selfless 
  Gives what it receives . 

Written for Carpe Diem Haiku Challenge . Today's prompt is Rouge Flower .

Courage - Haiku

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Dusk brings drizzles , incessant 

Cheeks stain wet - dawn break 

Courage paints smile .

Written for Carpe Diem Haiku Challenge . Today's prompt is COURAGE .

Hope - Haiku

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Haunting dreams frequent 

Dark Clouds loom scary - hope 

The bright silver lining .

Eye taken for eye 

Innocent lives killed - hope says

love shall cure .

Written for Carpe Diem Haiku Challenge . Today's prompt is HOPE . To paticipate start  following Carpe Diem

Chanakya's New Manifesto - Book Review

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TITLE :  Chanakya's New Manifesto To Resolve The Crisis Within India

AUTHOR :  Pavan . K .Varma

PUBLISHER :  Aleph Book Company 

LABEL :  Non - Fiction

YEAR :  2013
ISBN :  978-93-8227-09-5

PAGES :  242

PRICE :  Rs.295

The Essence :

           It would not be a tad bit ornamental if i say in affirmative that by authoring his latest book ' Chanakya's New Manifesto ' , Pavan . K . Varma has added one more golden feather to his already sparkling plumage . To brief the book in one word - Sensational ! . Let me explain the reason in detail . 

          The blurb highlights the pulp of the content using simple yet striking array of words , which inturn engraves the motive behind the book deep in the minds of readers . India is gasping in the clutches of malice which , shocking enough , has succeeded more or less in conquering every which lane of our country with its egregious act and the blurb acts to blow the trumpet as a wake up call to snap awake the people of our country from their long dreary slumber . The book starts off with a prologue where the author painstakingly explains in detail the impetus behind the specific title of the book and the reader is enlightened on the life and principles of Chanakya who went on to pen his seminal masterpiece ' Arthashasthra ' later in his life . Chanakya was one visionary who , roughly 2300 years ago , revamped the realm of downtrodden governance with his astuteness and acumen . The author intends to step into Chanakya's shoes and review the magnitude of problems carving our society and by doing so , brilliantly comes up with a manifesto which if utilised in its prescribed manner would see the inception of a much needed change to revive our country . 

My Take : 

1 ) The Cover :  The reader is welcomed by a modest cover design which hints about the gravity of the content and the brief note on the author speaks volumes about his glorious past , be it his academic history , his professional legacy or his highly acclaimed literary life . The reader's interest is sure to be piqued by the charming welcome the book offers . 

2 ) The Content :  The author has dissected the issues by segregating them into chapters for more detailed assessment which , intentional or not , makes the book easier to grasp . The chapters are headed as the following :

·       The crisis

·       1947 and After

·       Governance

·       Democracy

·       Corruption

·       Security

·       The creation of an inclusive society

      Each chapter begins with a brief albeit profound message , rather tactics , adapted from Arthashasthra which enlightens the reader on how the author's new manifesto is based primarily on Chanakya's principles . The author , with remarkable prowess delves into each section , at first speaking in length and breadth about the intensity of the issue plaguing the particular division and thereafter unveiling his manifesto to undo the damage and to reconstruct a more promising scenario . It is laudable the effort taken by the author to dig deeper into the country’s past so that he could arrive at a convincing and conclusive report on the facts leading to the bigger issues . However , the portions where the author deals with the vagaries concerning the judicial machinery did seem a bit cloudy for me and I suppose it would so for the common man otherwise unexposed to the subtleties of judiciary as well .  But then I am sure those contents were knitted there in the first place aiming at the concerned people who would imbibe the assertions in the right sense and debate further on it  . So no complaints .

 The chapter on Corruption is something to look forward to for the author highlights the emotional aspect consolidating the same . Take for instance the following lines  :

“ A business man looks upon the payment of bribe as part of the fixed cost he needs to incur to get over asphyxiating regulatory controls . Those accepting bribes consider the additional income a legitimate perk of the job . In this sense , the issue of corruption is entirely removed from the moral domain . “  

Likewise the author has strewn together meaningful nuggets throughout the book which serves to open the minds of the readers to the stark realties in its utter rawness . Certain numbers detailed are of alarming amounts that one cant help but sit back and wonder about the gravity of the crisis . According to him , the crux of the whole crisis lies on a redundancy dominating our machinery which inturn restricts the further expanse of our glory even when the truth remains that India is one among those few countries blessed with abundant resource . 

 Truly speaking , I find it impossible to pick out any particular portion or idea illustrated to declare it the best . Every single bit of thought included in the blueprint deserves to studied in depth . Humble enough , the author himself considers his set of ideas a mere rough draft which needs to be evaluated under the microscope shred by shred , such that a polished blueprint for change is eventually created .

 At one place , to tackle the political hooliganism the author prescribes a measure in which the political parties are mandated to disclose their monetary funds and criminal records of candidates if any , prior to the election . The voters should be empowered such that they are given an opportunity to evaluate the skills and prowess of the candidate based on meaningful debates between the opposing candidates . He stresses the urgency for encouraging the moulding of an inclusive society by incorporating the service of  NGO into the state machinery such that the process keeps up  its steadfastness . He also speaks in depth about the insensitiveness shadowing our society , the result of which is the reluctance of the privileged to support the poor and the upper caste to acknowledge the backward . The inconsideration shown to farmers by neglecting the field of agriculture is also dealt strongly .

They say , when the book is enriched with content few would dissect the literary quality with criticizing eyes . The author is sure to satisfy the scanning eyes of the critics too with his commendable hold on language . The writing is lucid and every bit engaging . Typos hide at a couple of places which are almost unnoticeable . My suggestion is that this book ought to be distributed among the civil servants , politicians and bureaucrats at the helm such that they are offered the much longed for correction of their myopic vision . Perhaps inclusion of parts of this manifesto in the high school syllabus would even prove fruitful . All in all a riveting read . 

My Rating : 4.5 / 5

                                                   

To know more about the author visit his website Pavankvarma.com

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Programme for Indian bloggers by Blogadda.com .Participate now to get free books .

Many thanks to Blogadda for having let me review the book !

This review has been shared by Aleph Book Company . Find Here . 

Wisdom - Haiku

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Hopeless life tunnel 

Pour rays of wisdom - imbibe

 Destiny sparkles. 

Born lucky , flaunts stones 

loathes wisdom - pitiful end

regrets past .

***********

Written for Carpe Diem haiku challenge . Today's prompt is WISDOM . To participate , start following  Carpe Diem

Iceberg - Haiku

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Iceberg ! crystal beauty 

Nature's mastercraft - bright 

chiselled good . 

Crystals mould in womb

Men conquer Mother - perish 

 treacherous death trap ?

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Written for the Carpe Diem  Haiku Challenge . This week's prompt is ' Iceberg ' . To participate start following  Carpe Diem

Sugary Love - Haiku

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Sad news , bitter days

 dash of sugar - sweet , stirring 

 mother's soulful kiss .

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Written for Haiku Heights . This week's prompt being  ' Sugar ' . To be a part of the Challenge start following  Haiku Heights .

The Act - 55 Fiction

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 Fell shattered on the floor a million prismatic glass pieces .

“ Aaah “ , Maya writhed in shearing pain .

The knife , dripping fresh drops of blood , lay near her .

“ Cut that ! “ . He shrieked in fervour .

Satisfied , Maya moved to review her scene on the monitor . 

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The Facade

In the air dwells her celebrity history ; 

Her subtle emotions , though forever a mystery 

Charm exudes in each elegant move

Wand weaving dreams , her suave she did prove  .

Thick eyelashes equate a million wonders

Like any other girl , in solitude she ponders .

Basked by the limelight , she continued her pretense

Not many knew , that her thoughts dabbled in goodness . 

Tracing her trails , they tortured her further

Spying her days , they continued to bother 

Deep treasured secrets, something so well kept ;

Unmasked to public , sans honour or respect .

Murmers of her heart echoed in green room ;

Wails , smiles , in journals did those loom .

They never wrote about her intricate feelings ,

Bothered never they to peek behind the facades.

Unspoken miseries still continue to linger ;

Her sculptured beauty , the sole thing to remember.

Hiding beneath those wonderful blue eyes ,

She continues to enchant , with everlasting poise .

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