Tantra - Book Review

Title : Tantra

Author : Adi

Publisher : Apeejay Stya Publishing

Year : 2013

ISBN-10 : 8190863622

Pages : 344

Price : Rs. 195

The Story In Short : 

Anu Aggarwal is a vampire hunter and a well established and admired one at that, who flies to New Delhi from her usual haven of action, New York, the reason behind the detour being a debacle from her recent past. Her boyfriend Brian was murdered and Anu who couldn’t be her usual normal self after the incident sets out to quench her vengefulness and for that purpose reaches Delhi from where hails the murderer, supposedly a malicious vampire. The vampire hunters, as is revealed is a vast network with branches throughout the world. What awaits Anu in Delhi is yet another villain on prowl who is on a murderous rage, but this time the killings are more purposeful aiming small kids in and around the city. Anu decides to set aside her actual mission of tracking down Brian's killer to be followed up later as a dire situation is at hand that moment , involving the lives of children. Eventually Anu, owing to her late night vigilant strides through the dark alleys of the city, seeks out the person behind the cascade of murders and realizes that the mode of his action is entirely different, more to do with Indian tantric powers than mere slaying. 

Anu with the help of her hunter friend Amit finds out the roots of the particular ceremony utilizing fire, akin to black magic, from a person by name Dr. Sharma. Though reluctant at first to accept the relevance of such ideologies in the modern times, Anu soon comes to terms with the validity of the same and diligently masters the Astras that a Pandit Grover teaches her, so that she could win over the villain. The events that unfold in the backdrop of her mastery, finally leading to an eventful and gripping ending is what makes the rest of the story.

On parallel grounds follows the story of Anu’s encounters at home with her desi aunt, who is determined to have Anu in wedlock at the earliest. Irked by the intentions of her aunt and bogged down by the failure on her part to seek out Brian’s killer, Anu tries her best to coax her aunt against her fervent search for a groom, but her attempts go futile and eventually she yields to her aunt. A few incidents revolving around the event and also a marriage function which Anu attends with her aunt takes Anu’s life on a new turn and she starts acquainting with a person called Gaurav. Anu slowly falls for Gaurav and on realizing this the villain seizes Gaurav forcefully to use him as a bait to lure her into his dynasty. What happens eventually is for you to find out.

My Take:

The protagonist, a female warrior is new to Indian Fiction scenario and that comes as a welcoming change from the chunks of chick lit books flooding the market. Also the story is on the lines of a thriller, which means a fast paced page turner is in offer for the readers who struggle to find time for reading amidst their hectic schedules at work. The language is really good with a commendable choice of words and the author has maintained a lucid, engaging flow from beginning to end, something I look forward to in any book I take up to read. In that regard I am quite happy with my selection.

If to point the downsides, I feel the Anu’s past and the events in New York that ignited a spate of revenge in her needed to be dealt more in detail. I couldn’t relate much to her loss as the book didn’t provide any reason to, other than a few isolated titbits from her past sprinkled at places to serve the need for a plot setting for the story. In addition to that the author has left the characters dangling loose, without much probing on their life. Much more detailed account on each one’s life and path would have been engrossing enough. We don’t know much about Gaurav other than the fact that he is relentlessly flirting with Anu and that there is a resplendent thread connecting them together. Amit and Suresh, their Head in Delhi are also in the dark, brought to the foray whenever the story demands Anu to interact with them. The ' shift' that is mentioned in the story came across as vague to me. I had to go with the flow at those places, ignoring the doubts.

The cover page lacks charm, but then it doesn’t matter much, for the blurb is alluring enough and that should tempt the reader to grab a copy. Indian mythology and spirituality make vibrant topics for fictional works, as is evident from the wide acceptance of Amish tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy. The non Indian readers would definitely be intrigued by the details on the Asthras and the idea of Tantra. The portions narrating the same have been perfectly crafted and those would easily be one of the highlights of the book. The Dekhan Dekhi event is another enticing one and the author has sketched it interesting enough with a dash of humour to coat it with.

Anu’s quest for Brian’s killer is still on and that would probably be dealt with in the sequel. I would recommend this book to any reader who is in search of a fast and gripping read. If you are someone who is adamant on catching up with your reading on a working day, well then this book definitely is for you.

All in all a good read and i liked it despite the flaws. My rating would be a 3.5/5.

Reach the author at his website : www.tantrabyadi.com

Buy the book online here

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

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 . 

A Call For Change

                         
                      Mahatma Gandhi - The Father Of Our Nation said , " Be the change you want to see in the world " . Even when the whole country is flaring up in agitation , even when younsters , men and women alike from every nook and corner of the country shout out slogans against the alarming proportion of corruption swallowing up the countries resources , i say - The change ought to begin from us ! . Here in this post , as part of the Blueprint For Change Contest organised by Blogadda , i am baring my mind of some of the atrocities that have been sharp edged enough to let their scar soaring for long.

Problem No. 1 :  Demerits Of Technology

            I happened to read an article on a journal last month which dealt with the upsurgance of technology and how the mushrooming of  social networking sites and ultra modern gadgets have almost marked a revolutionary transformation in the lives of tech savvy adolescents of this generation . In a way the change is for good , for owing to stiff competition and readily available chunks of information at a punch of the button , there is no dearth of knowledge in their lives . Having said so , i cant help but hark back those days when we , as school kids , used to go to the library with the sole aim of digging out books so that we could come up with quality matters for the presentation. Well and good that today , the children have the comfort of ' googling ' out the answers sitting slumped on their couch . It sure spares them a lot of time and maybe an  allergic rhinitis as well ! . Nevertheless , i would like to point out a few demerits of this generation of technology driven minds - 

a )  The highly satisfying and highly enlightening habit , called ' reading ' is threatening to be on the verge of extinction , blame the over indulgence in social networking sites and customised mobile phones . 

b ) The kids become the elite owners of a social profile  right from the teeny age of 13 -14 . Come holidays , they soak themselves in the heat of a laptop , rather than warming up playing in the sunny day . Gone are the days when the kids used to frequent their grand parent's house to exploit that emotional facet of a blood relation . And so also they find it meaningless to uphold the familial values and the cynosure of the world gets secluded within their self  - result - Broken Families ! 

c ) When the focus shifts to acheiving success and fame , whether be it the number of likes one garners , or be it the possession of the most trending gadget , the children are letting themselves swallowed by a whirlpool of problems . They seek solace in the virtual world to escape the adversities , instead of reaching out to their parents for guidance and eventually succumb to the pressure , sometimes sinking into depression or suicide . 

Solution : 

a ) Make library periods mandatory in schools . They can function like book clubs too where the students have discussions, debates and assignments  on a classic literature piece . The students should be encouraged to read newspaper every day . They should be enlightened about the role reading plays in shaping their language skills for if they need to go out there brimming with zeal and skill and deal with real people , not much of their virtual chat box experience is going to be of any aid ! Infact , isnt it knowledge that holds the supreme power to cleanse the society of its vices in this era plunging into darkness day by day ? 

b ) Moral science teaching  , more than ever before has become the need of the hour . Rather than restricting the class to textbooks , the teachers can evaluate the needs for upholding principles  by elaborating real life incidents with a message . 

c )  Parents should restrict their children ( i am talking about school kids ) assessing internet by offering stipulated times every day for the same and also should encourage them to indulge in sports or reading during their free time . 

                                     

Problem 2 :   Lifestyle Diseases

      As a person who witnesses people struggling to fight against diseases on every single day of my work , i feel obliged to stress on one particular health problem so rampant that it outweighs all others - and that would be life style diseases like diabetes and high cholestrol blood profile . The clinical data concerning the same shows alarming accounts , which provides sufficient impetus to ponder on the subject , dissecting all its layers . The prime reasons leading to such diseases being - 

a ) Inadequate exercise
b ) unhealthy food habits , esp junk food 
c ) Stress , basically at work in the present nail biting scene of stiff competition . 

        People forget that such lifestyle diseases act as an alluring factor for more harmful diseases like cardiac arrest, stroke and cancer. This is one point where the individual alone should undertake the most needed intervention as once smitten the person forever remains a prey to such diseases . And the situation has become grave these recent years because studies show that such diseases are not anymore restricted to old age ! 

Solution : 

a ) Insinuate regular excercise into your daily routine . 
b ) Abstain from smoking and avoid bingeing on alchohol. 
c ) Reduce the intake of high calorie food .
d ) Practise meditation or yoga to alleviate stress . 
e ) Make it a point to undergo monthly clinical check up to ensure thatyour sugar and bloodpressure count are within limits, once above 40 years .         

                                            

Problem 3 :   Safety of Women

         Being eve teased and ogled at have almost become a part of their lives for the women in our country and that includes me . Be it in salwar kameez or in a pair of jeans the situation remains the same . Being groped at in public transport and grazed at in subways have become the price we are entitled to pay for being independent . With the massive outrage post the delhi rape case , the government promises to revise the existing laws in favour of the women . But is that enough ? 

Solution : 

        School education should focus on the fitness aspects of girls in addition to the academic aspect . Sports should be made compulsory such that they remain fit . Martial arts or karate classes can be made available to the girls . Lessons in defense mechanisms to tackle an attacker also would be helpful if providing the classes prove improbable . Sex education should be inculcated into the academic curriculum for both boys and girls , which could be dealt separately . Girls should be provided proper awareness by teachers and parents regarding sexual assaults . They should be encouraged to speak up for themselves and to react if a man touches her with a wrong intention . The girl child in the families too needs to be treated with respect by letting her speak out her emotions or outrage . The boys should be provided awareness as well by teaching them to respect their gal friends and to treat them equals . 
                                                         

Problem 4 :  Religious Insecurities

                           I happened to come across an article sometime back where the writer was dissecting the many chaos that persist in our country in the name of religion . The article illustrated the example of the Kochi , a city in Kerala district , where numerous sections of society harbour in peace and harmony . Delving deeper seeking the reason behind this , the researchers came to the conclusion that the people in that city are ardent and true believers of their respective religion , and because of that they are capable of  accepting the religious sentiments of their neighbours too in equal amounts . This points to the bitter revelation that , those goons and religious fanatics who massacre their country men do so because they are insecure in their religious beliefs . The situation is far more intense than it seems . And so also believing in the idea of secularism has become the need of the hour  esp with the recent incidents related to Vishwaroopam release and about Salman Rushdie being unacceptable at Kolkata , dominating the footages !

Solution :

     -  This might be one problem where sensible thinking would prove more helpful in tackling the situation than practical intervention . The moulding of a heart which holds onto the principle of secularism ought to incept from the family . The onus of  making it happen definitely rests on the shoulders of the parents which they should inculcate in their kids right from the school days. The kids should be taught that humanity is the strongest link that connects human beings and no religion is sharp enough to saw through it . As kids imbibe whatever is taught to them esp by their parents , chances are more that the idea would get engraved in their minds . 

   -  The educational institutions should lend their support too in that matter by letting the students organise celebrations in harmony during the major festivals of all religions , such that they are provided proper awareness regarding the strength of each religious belief . 

        

Problem 5 :   Unclean Surroundings

        I had been to my aunts house last week and on the way to their lane i was welcomed by the stinking site of garbage being thrown around the road and they lay scattered on the way with foul odour of decaying food piercing through my nostrils ! I asked my aunt how they cope up with such disgusting sight and her reply was that this has become a habit and people have become used to it . Should it be so ? Haven't we all vouched to keep our country clean at one point of the time or other ? Aren't we supposed to perform our duties to the country when we are adamant that we be ranted our rights ?! Is the practice hygienic especially when our country is notorious for infectious diseases ? Given that the problem is not something without a solution , its high time the citizens worked for it . 

Solution : 

         Its the duty of the Government to make it available municipality workers to clear out the garbage flooding up . Write to the minister to take mandatory actions to bring a stop to the menace . If there is no response , write again or give a petition . If there is still no response take control over the situation . CCTV monitoring can be undertaken by the corresponding secretaries of the streets and thereby the people contributing to the crime can be caught red handed . ( This has been proved successful in a few streets of my state ) . Paste anti littering posters on the walls of your streets warning strict actions against the rule benders . Take snapshots of the littering and publish it on newspapers with a short account on the problem so that the government would sit up and notice . Make provisions for discarding the garbage in our respective homes itself - dig a small pit to bury it up or to burn paper wastes . That way the need wouldnt arise to throw it away . 

          
            I have always felt that the officers reigning the Indian Administrative Service should be loaded with greater power to control the state . The fact that they toiled for hours mastering knowledge on the veracity of the problems gnawing our country , no one but they , are armored with the perfect weapons of moral responsibility and acumen to uproot the evil over shadowing the progress of our society . Unfortunately in the present scenario , they are belittled to the role of mere puppets while the politicians and influential people enjoy the last laugh !
                                

             Having drained my mind of those fuming problems , i feel as though i did a small part to address the need for a massive cleansing starting from the base  . As the citizens of this country its the responsibility of each one of us to strive for the best of the society . Are you up for it ?

                                              ***********

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This post is a part of  Weekend Contest By Blogadda in association with  chanakya-s-new-manifesto

RIP By Mukul Deva - Book Review

Title : RIP ( The Resurgent Indian Patriots )
Author : Mukul Deva
Label : Fiction / Thriller 
Publisher : Westland LTD 
Year : 2012
Pages : 286
Price : Rs.200

The Essence : 

                     The blurb is successful , more or less , in offering an alluring prelude to the fast paced story that beckons to the reader from inside . The Story flags off on an intriguing note in itself throwing around an air of adventure , with four prominent members of the political tycoon being murdered , their code of conduct quite proficient and impeccable . The team carrying out the mission calls themselves RIP ( The Resurgent Indian Patriots ) helmed by Colonel Krishna Athawale , an ex para commando of the Indian Army .  The other equally efficient members of the group ,  often bracketed as the K- Team - a tag tracing its origin way back into their army days ,  are Major Karan Singh , Major Kevin David and Major Kashif Nadeem . They are chained together by a single motive – To rescue the country from the filthy hands of the corrupted politicians and executives and retrieve the soul of the country in all its purity from the stinking muddle threatening to wash it away . 

                     Trying to hamper their diligently construed plan and to restore peace and security is the dedicated cop Vinod Bedi . Reena bhagat , a charismatic News reporter joins Colonel Krishna’s life and offers the readers a lighter detour from the otherwise heavily loaded scenario . Unfortunately Reena comes with an even complicated baggage with herself in the form of Raghav her husband , an ex commando himself , who has been appointed by the Home minister  Mr. Karunakaran to get rid of the RIP team lest his faulty political life would be unmasked to the public . How these characters stumble against each other at various junctures of their life spanning across a few days forms the crux of the story .

My Take :

   A )  The Cover :  It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a book coming with a promise of extreme action would be adorned by a cover combustible enough even in its appearance . So is this one . The amalgamation of the picture and the highly vibrant colours sure convey the nature of whats in store . The blurb , as I mentioned in my opening sentence is peppered with elements of suspense further perching the hopes of the readers on  a higher rung .

  B )  The Content :  The story races from one incident to another never letting the reader mull over details on the way , for such is the clarity of the events . With his ability to sculpture the accounts ,delving into the subtleties in its the right amount , the author succededs in guiding the readers through a perfectly etched out course packed with action . I managed to devour the book in one sitting for the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed reading it .The author , i feel has succeeded in churning out a gripping plot and the book has that simple and outright manner of story telling . The writing is lucid and the editing needs special mention , as it stood out , as I sailed past page after page welcoming the events knit together so flawlessly . Absolutely nil typos or grammer mistakes to irk you . The parts dealing with Krishna's interaction with his son Sachin and those  tantalising moments with Reena have been etched perfectly , with the narration blending with the story smoothly  . 

                      Though the author clearly stresses in his foreword note that the characters are fictional , noticing uncanny similarities to many personalities reigning the present India coudnt be ignored . However , that one particular aspect of the book failed to entice me , for a fiction when starting to state the obvious ( especially regarding people and deeds which are more or less the talk of the town at present ) turns less intriguing , right ? . A couple of movies have been created based on similar contexts , but then I guess proving his resentment towards the corrupted officials was the prime motive of the author , rather than deliberately spewing a tale skewed with fictious aspects which the readers would relate to less . 

                     For having bared the grueling intensity of the filth the country is sinking in , the author deserves to be lauded . Yet , a mind boggling question dangles in the air as to whether its morally acceptable for the citizens to contort the law even though its for a good motive . Though the emphasis is on how the K -Team carries out the venture more than on detailing in depth the stark realities plaguing the society , one cant help admit after reading the book that , at this point of time the country is calling out for that much needed change more than ever before – maybe for a revolution to seize back the long lost glory of our country . 

 My Rating :  4/5 . Go for it ! 

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

Twilight

This post grabbed the WOW Badge as part of the Write Over The Weekend contest conducted by Blogadda .

    
   The bus came to a sudden halt with no prior hint , that I almost knocked my head against the bar .

“ Are you ok , Geetha ji “ , my maid enquired , her mellow voice genuine and concerned .

“I am fine . Almost survived if I might say “ . I replied trying to sound funny , as she wrapped her agile arms around me and swayed me back to my seat .

      Travelling by public transport is a struggle in itself , worse if your age happens to be on the unfortunate side of 60 . A cold shiver shot through my body as the chilling wind sweeped through the window in a hurry . Draping my saree around tightly I flexed my arms closer to my body . The ink blue sky was in the remarkable process of giving way to the crimson clouds. Soon darkness would embrace them . Suppressing the bout of cough which scratched me at the back of my throat , I closed my eyes .

    The day was the most tiring one in months and the most dreaded . If it wasn’t for my maid who noticed a tinge of blood on the sink a few days back , I would be on my bed reciting the Bhagavat Gita at this hour of the day . The horrendous events of the day drifted across my eyes . Alarmed was I about the whole procedure , for a person in her twilight years doesn’t deserve to perch her hopes on a higher rung . But the doctor , a compassionate human being , was persuasive as he cut out a small bit of her breast tissue for the biopsy . Breast disease and blood tinged sputum ? I was confused . It might be a secondary affecting the lungs – He disclosed the assumption through his implicit speech ,  an outright revelation would have shattered me , I was sure . The benefit of the doubt would offer me solace atleast till the biopsy report comes.

   I clinged onto the bar , as the bus paused at the next stop . A lady carrying a baby in her arms entered the bus , almost staggering as the bus resumed its journey in a hurry . I watched as my maid offered the lady her seat . Settling down next to me , the lady sighed a breath of relief and smiled at me .

   I noticed that the pretty smile which twinkled on her lips failed to brighten her eyes . Is it true or is it just me , for I have always sensed people tending to pour out their minds while conversing with an old person . So did this lady , who smiled at me oblivious of the fact that it failed to mask her sorrow.

 Her name was Sakshi and she was returning after paying a visit to her mother who resided in the next town . Sakshi’s mother used to spend her days at their house till two months back , until  her husband started getting irked at the presence of an old petite woman who threatened to fall ill anytime . Try as she might , Sakshi’s pleadings to retain her mother at their house failed to pierce her husband’s deaf ears . Her mother was ousted from their house , albeit with a permission for Sakshi to visit her mother every month .

Finishing the poignant story , Sakshi  said with a gurgle of emotions stammering her words , “ My mother is sick and I miss her so much . Every bit of my heart yearns to take her back to my home and nurse her as best as i could . Unfortunately , my hands are tied .The fear of  jeopardising my family overshadows my resposibility towards my mother . Isnt my future my husband and this child ? Cruel as it might sound , I cant lose them at any cost . “ She wiped away the stream of tear that gushed down her cheeks .

I kept looking at her till tears flooded my eyes and blinded my sight . The bus shrieked to a stop once again , only that this was where I was supposed to get down .

I walked with small slow steps to the formidable building , which has been providing me shelter for the past one year –‘  Karunya Home For The Destitute ‘ , when my maid asked hesitantly

“ When are your children coming to visit you Geeta ji ? I saw them the day you were brought here , never after . Hope they will be here to take you to the hospital for the next visit . “

My heart fluttered as I answered her question with just a slight nod of my head .

 And that was when the vague doubts that have been haunting my mind for the past few months resurfaced to confluence into an answer - Maybe they never will . 

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

This post is written for Write Over The Weekend , an initiative for Indian Bloggers by blogadda.com

P.S : Image Source : Find Here . 

Amidst The Chimes

This post grabbed the WOW Badge as part of the Write Over The Weekend Contest conducted by Blogadda

                                It was the relentless shrieking of the alarm clock that snapped her awake from her slumber . Through the narrow slit of her half open eyes , she could see the warm rays of the blazing sun gliding their way through the window in layers . Yanking her hand onto the table , she clutched the alarm clock and pushed the button down . The clutter and clamour of the outside world slowly drifted to her ears once the alarm retreated back to the snooze mode . Sweeping away the layers of bedspreads draped over her , she gathered herself up from her bed . The moment her feet touched the ice cold marble slabs of the floor , she felt an invigorating rush race through her skin . The urge wasnt new to her . It wouldnt be a tad bit over emphasising to state that she has been living a passionate slave to this emotion over the past 30 years of her life . The fact that she never got tired of chasing her dreams remained indigestable for many . To this day , her admirers who witness her charismatic performance on stage continue to drown her in praise and honour . 

                          Shivering , she entered the bathroom and sliding the tap open , let the cold water run through her hands . Splashing a handful of water on her face , she kept looking at the mirror as if to study the subtle details of the face staring back at her . Tracing the narrow lines of wrinkles clustered near her eyes , she continued to gaze back at the ageing beauty that she has become over the years .

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                               Life has never been a  journey sprinkled with rozy petals for her , let alone being normal . Her eventful life as an actress started to blossom at the tender age of 16 . The vagaries of pursuing a career in the cine world dawned on her much later , after 8 years when she let her head droop before a man who waited eagerly before her with a golden chain in his hands . Promising him to try her best to shuttle between acting and managing her family , she retreated back to the film sets gayily to do the one thing which kept her smiling all those years . Slowly she came to terms with the fact that the act of juggling the two was almost as close to being impossible . Realising this in a matter of 6 months , she decided to say adieu to the world of glamour even though it was the hardest decision she had to undertake . Ten years of faithful married life after that , she traversed the most colourful and pompous moments with her husband . 

                            Unfortunate as she might be , the fate had darker days in store for her down the years . The day she stumbled upon her husband sprangled on a bed with her friend  , the sparkling castle of her dreams shattered to shreds infront of her . Yet another couple of years of solitude restricted to the four walls of her immaculate house transformed her into something she never was before - a soul drained of pride and smiles . 

                              Her parents drifted their way back to her tormented life and consoled her like they used to do as she was a child . Finding their words of advice fell on the dead ears of their daughter , they were dejected . Still , they continued to whimper , and as days passed they shouted , yelled and shook her back to her senses . When her mother confronted her one day with a piece of her thought to have her slide into her dance costumes after a sabbatical lasting many years , she , to her surprise , felt a spark for a peaceful existence rekindle at the back of her heart . 

                           Now after ten years of  performing on stage , at the age of fourty,  as she stood staring at her face , the wrinkles started to fade away at the mere touch of her fingers . The eighteen year old girl who stormed into the world of fame with eyes sparkling with passion , smiled back at her from the mirror through a veneer of hazy mist . A voice , strong and driven , whispered to her from the deepest recess of her mind -  " The sun sets , but with a promise to rise back brighter ". Her mind was still young and she still had an endless road stretching before her . The thought seeped into her mind leaving behind a glow on her skin , as she brushed away the droplets clinging to her face .  

~ Maliny Mohan

This post is a part of  Write Over The Weekend  , an inititive for Indian bloggers by blogadda.com

Satin Secret !

9.00 A.M

  Entered Prof Maya for the one session we dreaded ,

        Turning to the board , muttering something she scribbled
The air so vapid , on a paper with my pen i doodled 

             Some yawned , some snored , yes the transition was rapid !  

                       Reclining back on my chair , i glanced proudly at the the picture of a black swan i managed to doodle during the class . Darkening the shade with a black Pinpoint pen , i checked on Sreya , who sat beside me , her eyes immersed on the last few pages of Kane And Abel , but her right hand scribbling some undeciphered language on her notebook . I couldnt let out a chuckle watching her clever ploy to evade Prof Maya's  frequent furtive glances . Bending my shoulder slowly to her chair , i nudged her with my arm , with an intention to share my art without drawing Prof . Maya's attention . 

 " Ouchh ! " 

              The Girl who sat snoring on the chair next to Sreya snapped open from her nap , ( rather a slumber !) .

What just happened ? , enquired Prof Maya

An ant bit me , lied my dear friend Sreya

In haste to finish her class , she said , “ Alright “

Sreya stared at me , certain ! something wasn’t right !

“ What is the matter ? “ . I pried concerned .

“ Your arm hurt me ! “ . Sreya exclaimed in hushed tones .

                   Left in a dilemma , because i had had my arm hair removed just a week back , I made a mental note to discuss it with her after the class .

10 .00 a.m

                   Clamour erupted when Prof .Maya walked out  , like the suppressed air forcing outside from a soda . Snatching my bag , I scampered past the celebrating girls to join Sreya , who was already halfway to the auditorium . Today was the day , the dance group from their class was supposed to perform infront of the college panel . The ultimate decision as to which group would grab the opportunity to perform at the intercollegiate fest lay on the hands of those at the helm . We joined the rest of the group , retreated to the backstage and started changing into the dance costume .  With the song to which we were dancing being a western one , the costume was chosen to be a tank top and black laced knee length pants .

  “ Hurry up Riya ! We are to be onstage in 20 minutes . ! “

                     I looked up at Sreya , not quite hiding the sullen look on my face .

“  I wish i had opted for my hair removal at the parlour yesterday instead of a haircut . I forgot to deal with my legs last week when i rushed through my arms with an old razor of mine . Maybe thats why my arm hurt you when i brushed it against you today ! All pricky and weathered . That crude 'contraption' transformed my skin into something awful !. Forget that . What about my legs ?! What am I to do now ? Do I have time to rush back to the hostel and return ? “ . Throwing a guilty face , I looked at Sreya .

“ No , you don’t . Do one thing . Here take this razor . I bought it yesterday , but left it in my bag absent mindedly . Make it fast ok , Riya . This performance is really important , you know right “ . She threw a small blue razor at me , still unused , with a kind smile that friends pass each other when in need .  In a few quick smooth strokes my legs were left shiny and smooth in a matter of less than 5 minutes . It dawned on me after the process that i did manage to manoeuvre the little wonder of a razor around my ankles too in a swerve !  

12 .00  p.m

                   The results were declared . Our team made it to the final list ! Joy knew no boundaries . We decided to bunk the afternoon classes and headed to the city  to celebrate the good news .

After two days

               Life was too hectic the past two days ,with our room packed with batchmates helping us out with the dance steps . It was that evening sometime that the incident during Prof Maya’s class resurfaced in my mind .

               While snacking with Sreya at the coffee house that evening , I let the topic spring up .

“ Hey Sreya , just touch my arm now. Does it hurt ? “

              Sreya , pretended to be terrified , but laughed and scrolled her finger across my arm after that . ‘ Oh my God , how did this happen ?! Its soft !‘. She almost shrieked in my ears . “ You used my razor on your arms , didn’t you ? “ . She quipped excitedly .

“ Yes I did . “  I said that and giggled .

“  Oh dear , what have we got here ,

   A girl with pricky skin and fussy hair

   Bruised by her skin , her boyfriend worried ;

   Hurt by her arms , her best friend sweared.

   A little blue marvel turned her life around !

   GILLETTE SATIN CARE , the name so profound

   With a skin so soft , her boyfriend beamed

   Smiling at her , her best friend winked . 

   Life turned happy , one smooth soft ride

   To think wise and right is all you need “

                  I could almost imagine her singing this in her mind when she winked at me from across the table . With the relief that a problem which kept poking me for an immediate action found solution , i sipped on my coffee happily.


This post is a part of  the Gillette Satin Care contest  in association with blogadda.com

    

It Happens For A Reason

                      
                   ' You go home and check your emails. You read the second mail and freeze ! .'

                       Shikha wished upon Gods if what she was dealing now could be replaced by the above scenario . For she was freezed to the core , so much is true , but on reading the second unopened mail on her mother's inbox instead of her's !
  

                       She didn’t have to cringe her eyes or strain harder to recognize the girl and boy cuddling cozily on that peach coloured couch , so engrossed in each other that they seemed oblivious of the fact that it was already 1a.m on the frog faced time piece which adorned the book shelf beside .  The picture was taken on a summer night one year back , when she with her boyfriend Sameer and another couple had crashed on his house after their twelfth standard school farewell party . Wait . What had she lied to her parents the next day about not returning home after the party ? ‘ The function stretched for a few hours more Ma , instead of winding up at 10 P.M . Shruti’s home is just a couple of blocks away from school , you know right . Her parents were out of town ; but her grandma was there . Shruti urged me to stay at her place for the night , said it was not safe to wander back alone. ‘

                     She hadn’t expected her parents to buy such a cleverly construed story , where there was almost nil scope for an eye witness , given that Shruti’s grandma was half blind ! Yet they never bothered to scrutinize the story further .

                    Now , after one long and eventful year , she was jolted up , rather heavily , on being stumbling upon this picture , fortunately unopened , on her mother’s Gmail inbox page . 

                  She turned 19 a month back , but her mother had already registered her profile on the most sought after matrimonial site available. If it wasn’t for the occasional tryst of her mother with her laptop , surfing the matrimonial site for new proposals , she wouldn’t have had a clue as to what Sameer , her ex – boyfriend now , was upto . Her mother never cared to log out of her gmail account even . Srolling the page further down she noticed a message emboldened in large red print which read ,

“ You must have got a hint as to why I sent you this brazen picture of your daughter and me . No , as you fear in shock , I wouldn’t stoop that low to indulge in a frantic mania of spreading an online scoop linking me and your daughter . This serves as the perfect revenge for me to tear away the mask of reclusiveness she fakes in front of you guys . Like what you must be expecting , she is not just a diligent student , but a reckless woman as well . “

                   She  stared in disbelief at those words , her heart wrenching in spite at how he could muster the courage to come lashing back at her , through her mother , after all those mind boggling  days of fight they dragged  through 6 months back . His egregious words soaked in the stench of booze and smoke echoed shrill in her ears , like they had deafened her on that God forbidden day,

“ There is more to being in a relationship than sharing the soul Shikha , You better beat it into your rotten brain .  Strange enough , the surge of emotional vent that I used to feel in your presence has drained empty . Pardon me for being candid , but you owe me big time for all those fruitless hours of comfort and consolation I showered on you while you were wrecking your head pondering your life problems ! “

                    She felt a shiver run down her spine harking back those minutes when she had scampered past his living room and garden , crying ,  to reach the safety of the four walls of her house .  She had let herself take the brunt for being nice to him for the whole two years they had gone out . But not anymore .

                    Shikha swiftly moving to the door , glanced out to check on her mother . Not seeing her , letting out a sigh , she closed her door behind her slowly . Returning to her laptop she began typing frantically , swiping away the beads of sweat clouding on her forehead . Leaning back to scan the message one last time , with no tad of doubt , she pressed the SENT option . Going back to the SENT messages folder of her mother’s account , she reread the message she had sent Sameer, a minute back .

 “ Sameer , if you expected me to thrash my little girl and ground her forever on seeing this picture , you are wrong Son . I am well aware of the nasty break up you two had . Shikha , though late , fed me with the details ; the poor girl suffered a lot trying to hide it from me for months . As her mother , and as a Government Employee I warn you against further misbehaviour of this sort to my daughter . I hope you are aware of the unpleasant consequences of the crime you just did by sending me this obscene picture of her's. My conscience urges me to grant you a second chance . Don’t ever message to my email or my daughter’s . Let us consider the chapter closed . “  Shikha deftly cleared both Sameer’s message and the message she just sent , from the history so that her mother wouldn’t come to know about her prying into her  Gmail page .

                      Shikha reclined back on her pillow , her eyes grazing a picture frilled by a pretty pink photo frame - A picture of the 2 year old she nestling against her mother’s neck . Gazing into her mother’s face , she recognized the warm , affectionate person her mother used to be in her thoughts . Has her mother changed ? Or is it she who had  let her mother’s love slip out of her life when she got so busy sewing up the broken pieces of her life . How could she let the half boiled words of Sameer drown her mother’s pleas to be careful while selecting friends ? How come she never think about nestling against her mother  to share her little secrets now a days , even when she could undoubtedly feel her mother’s heart breaking to bits knowing her daughter’s reticence ?

 “ Shikha , open this door baby . Hot crispy chips just out of the frying pan reckon you ! Come taste it . “ .

                   Her mother’s exhuberent , albeit worried voice snapped her back to the present . She felt a pang of remorse stabbing at the back of her heart . She knew she needed help . Can any other person in the whole world understand her in as much depth and perfection as the warm voice which just called out to her ?

                 Opening the door , Shikha softly let out those heavy words which possessed infinite power to seal the silence they shared for months .

   ‘ Ma , I need to tell you something .‘ 

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

This post is a part of  write-over-the-weekend  , an initiative for indian bloggers by  www.blogadda.com