From The Poet's Heart

FEEL

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 12:08:00 +0000

Take it under your stride
Don't let it rule you
Vulnerability is not a sham
Be open, be calm, be honest
It's okay to cry and shed some tears
It's tough for us all
You are not alone
Quitting is just a beginning
Forgiveness is a relief
Believe, Love and let it be
To be yourself is not a crime
You maybe imperfect
You might get anxiety attacks
You might fall every day
But you choose to survive
What can be stronger?
Let the good hug you enough
Let the monsters make you learn lessons
Shiver because you got to be strong
Experience every struggle like beauty
Stop measuring each action
Walk away if it doesn't add to your life
Nothing should stop you
Selfless is not always possible, try
More than anything keep the hope burning
Let it keep you warm
Before anyone tells you how wrong you are
Tell yourself I am guilty
Apologize, Appreciate, Adapt
Uncertainty will help you learn
Make it count, just because you got to give it back
To yourself, to your loved ones, to God..

Obsession. Correlation. Desperation.

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 10:47:00 +0000

A lot has been written and read about OCDs but I have a take on relationship's acronym of OCD and I decide to pen it down in the form of a post.

I feel these days relationships are at its worst. They are broken, selfish, demanding or just for the sake. There's no humanity left in love. Not that I am negative about love, relationships or people great at heart but by far how it appears is how it makes you feel.

The world is not a bad place to be but people are making it difficult. For others and for themselves. Everyone has so many desires, goals, ambitions, passion and rigor that it becomes tough to please someone else than ourselves. What seemed to be effortless has become so tiring that we are not willing to give our all. Why? Because these days at an age of 25-30, we feel we have seen the world and have gone through a lot. A lot of us have actually been through cruel times but that doesn't mean you affect yourself or loved ones around you. As per what I think, these days relationships are in three phases:

Obsession: Wow, I fell in love again. He/she stole my heart and now I am not going to get hurt again. It's THE relationship I have always been looking for. He/she is the best. Loves me so much. Takes care of me. Thinks of me. Puts me first in everything. It's beautiful. Life is good. It's going to be amazing.

Correlation: After a point of time, the differences come to light. Yes, we are different but that's okay. Let's accept them and be mature. Oh no, again we came to our basic nature. Ah, it seems so tough. It hurts. Let's understand why we chose to be together but next thought, fuck logic, it's Love. We need to be stable. We need to feed our passion and goals. Listen, we are doing it for our future. It takes time and you will have to be patient. See it from my point of view. Why don't you do it yourself? Understand, it's not easy for me. You cannot realize what I have been through. No, you are just defending yourself because you can do anything in life but I cannot. Oh wait, let's leave all of it. Come give me a long hug. Ah, feels reassuring.

Desperation: This is that stage of relationship where after chasing our goals, we are never satisfied of what we achieve. No, I want more. It's just the starting of my life, please understand. You can wait, right? Come on, don't be a child now. We are going to be the best. Wait for it. It's going to be legendary. Congratulations, I am so happy for your achievements. I always believed in you. Let's celebrate. Next goal is ready. Next peak is far. Next road is again full of thorns. Oh but wait, look back I have someone along. No, they are not baggage. They are your release. Absolutely right. I agree. I shouldn't have done that. Sorry. No, I don't want to listen to the apologies. Fuck everything, let's kiss. It's beautiful again.

I don't know how many of you can relate to what I just wrote but I am sure there are a lot of you who can, with every word expressed here. Let me know, what next?

Paint the town - Dark

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 13:27:00 +0000

As you walk through the wet road, can you see the cloth of your shoe tear?
While you head up to the invisible darkness, aren't you fearful?
Where do you steal confidence from?
Why do you need to add a dash of arrogance though?

Success, not everyone's cup of tea..
Failure, something not everyone can heal..
Let yourself be, take the pill..
Gulp the pain, walk up the hill..

Alone is not a sham, beauty is just a glam,
Don't get distracted, continue with your plan..
You have been betrayed, you are broken,
You have been killed yet you are alive,
You deserve every bit you are deprived of,
Oh worthy soul, just one more second, one more step..

As you walk, you will find mighty creatures there,
Some will come for you as a prey, some as angels,
It's not your fault if you trust the wrong ones,
We all have been there, just take a stroll..

Remember, you got to come back home..
A place where walls love you,
Ceiling waits to watch you relax,
Windows yearn to play with your hair,
Doors love to be your protectors,
And you see there the person in mirror,
The one who should love themselves the most..

Be there, for yourself! :)

Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 17:18:00 +0000

With that stare on the last drop of seasonal rain,
And heightened skies which dry up so soon,
The raging sunlight which delivers a message,
The calming moon which takes you aside..

Learn to observe the charisma of nature,
To be there amid a chunk of leisure,
Naked feet, Bare mind and a handful of memories,
Walk along the series of your own lullaby..

Fallen leaves have ink all over,
Hardened roots of trees speak a volume,
Shining eyes of the creatures roaming around,
Stop by, just pause by them to nurture and see..

Beyond your reach lies a universe of its own,
Captured by lenses are just photos galore,
To absorb, to feel, to engulf the unwritten literature,
Talk to the sea, have a conversation with the river, sit besides a butterfly..

Break the chains of sorrow, breathe deep,
Everyone was once a stranger, now a friend serene,
Lessen your demands, increase the humility,
You never know when the moment will steal..

Take down notes, fold them and pocket it,
Run your fingers through words, let them speak,
Bring back your passion, live at your peak,
Move ahead of the corrupted minds & surrendered plea..

The story isn't over yet, you ought to believe,
Your fall is a learning, let it be,
Another morning, heaps of hope to flee,
Not your determination, not your capacity..

Don't Let Rains Take Away the Hard Earned Pain

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 11:04:00 +0000

Each one of us have a different definition of ‘Fitness’ and those who are dedicated to not skip workouts, find a way to continue their regular routine no matter what the season is.

Healthy habits are not just difficult to form but to maintain them, sometimes, feels like a task. Especially when it’s raining outside and you are still determined to go out for a jog or to the gym, you are compelled to stay back at home due to certain circumstances. What next?

Here are a few ways you can workout at home & continue with your exercise regime:

1.) Warm Up Jog: Jogging is not necessarily done out of the house. You can jog at home with your hand movements like running and put your feet up and down alternatively. This will give you an energetic start to the day.

2.) Stretching: Stretching is more than just a warm up session. While it gives us a positive start to perform the next part of training, it certainly helps in decreasing stress, balance blood circulation & making your muscles stronger.

3.) Push ups: While we look for strengthening the complete body, focusing on the upper body at the outset has its own perks. Push ups help you strengthen your core muscles. Take proper rest between repetitions as muscles gain strength once you finish exercising. If you are targeting the same muscle groups, make sure you have gaps between all the sets.

4.) Cork screw: This one is an effective exercise for your abs and overall body. Maintain a squat position, thighs parallel to the floor, push yourself up, rotate the torso and get back to the initial position. Repeat this exercise a few times.

For people who do not want to skip out on running and are well prepared, can continue their workouts even during the monsoons. Avoid wearing too many layers of clothes, wear fabrics which will prevent the water from entering your skin & if it’s dark, wear something bright to avoid accidents while running. Keep away the electronic equipment to be safe & apply some petroleum jelly to areas which might get scraped.

Alternatively, you can always do YOGA. It helps you mentally, physically and spiritually. More than just relaxing, it focuses on body postures, movement formations & flexibility. When you cannot go out for a workout, one of the most useful options is YOGA. Surprisingly, you can burn up to 280 calories per hour with Yoga.

To conclude, you can also work out as home, if its difficult to travel to the Gym because of erratic weather conditions.

Learn

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 03:55:00 +0000

In the moments of pain
In release of that gain
With every possible night
And sunshine which stays
Learn, you have got much more to learn..

Inspiration is all around
Success is another gate
Humility shall take you through
While you collect memories galore
Learn, you have got much more to learn..

Struggle makes you tougher
Love makes you calm
Sleeplessness makes you value
Emotions so deep
Learn, you have got much more to learn..

Not every king deserved the throne
Not everyone who slogs, the nightmare
Unknown to life's uncanny lessons
And tribute to every breath
Learn, you have got much more to learn..

Travel those clouds of fear
Let it rain healing, your smile smear
You are not alone, not left out, not hollow
Turn the page around, because
Learn, you have got much more to learn..

Years shall pass by and you will laugh
Flashbacks of misery & surrendered graph
Dots will connect, stories will complete
Another day will begin & you will realize
Learn, you have got much more to learn..

Release

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 15:47:00 +0000

From the deepest corners of your heart,
And tiniest room of your mind,
Impractical thoughts galore,
And solutions in no time,
Maybe, Not and Impossibles rule,
How will we ever resolve?
Can there be an easy route?
While we end another chapter again..

Take me through rivers of peace,
Make me believe in a subtle release,
Tell me that everything is fine,
Remind me of the powerful divine,
I have begged enough to survive,
Searching for a place to shine,
Open the doors of your heart,
Let me stay there for a while..

Bruised feet and paining knees,
Of empty hands and hollow within,
I am ready to start all over again,
If promises are kept,
If our future is relaxed,
If this gift of life is another adapt,
If I can breathe free and resurrect..

One more chance I give myself,
To make it happen and kiss success,
Of pressure so much I cannot quit,
Deny I won't so many blessings, a sin,
Tomorrow again I'll rise and shine,
For today I shall be thankful and smile,
For I have been wise and foolish so much,
I will believe in the power of trust..

The Amazing All New Renault Lodgy

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 08:49:00 +0000

While we all had an amazing time at Goa courtesy BlogAdda and Renault India, I can't resist myself speaking about this beast "Lodgy" launched by Renault.

When I heard about the car, I thought it would be a huge car and I have never had hands on experience on a big car (read an SUV) and I was scared if this car would be difficult to drive but as soon as I saw it arrive at The Leela, I was surprised, it looked sleek, stylish and very easy.

An ecstatic chiseled front end with a dynamic profile, extremely spacious and which can be a house to car lovers. Look of the car is sedan-like which gives it a noticeable presence. It is a contemporary car, fulfilling the needs of modern families with its practical features and numerous storage areas. For a safer yet more entertaining trip, we have fitted the car with the Media NAV multimedia system, easily controlled from its 7-inch touchscreen. It also has active and passive safety features.

One of the nice features, especially who are beginners and find parking a problem is the rear parking aid. Once you put the car in reverse, you can see the rear in your touch screen system which outlines the back end and helps parking a kid's play.

Any car which I will ever purchase, I will make sure that I have the best music system in the same. And one of the best things I found in this MPV was the music player. Like ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. The bass of the system, the quality and the way it makes every ride beautiful, is incredible. I couldn't resist taking a selfie with it ;)

And at last I would like to share a fun video our team made with the amazing audio system, we just couldn't stop ourselves from dancing. :P

I was a part of the #LiveLodgycal Drive by BlogAdda.com in association with Renault India.

GO. GOA. AND. #LiveLodgycal in Association with BlogAdda & Renault India

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 07:47:00 +0000

GOA. As soon as this word comes to your mind, heart & ears, all you can think of is, a break, experience, fun, joy, living life and just smiling. I was lucky enough to be a part of this amazing trip arranged by BlogAdda & Renault India, where they chose the best bloggers (I am not saying that, they said that ;)) across the country to take on a wonderful trip and forget logic but experience Lodgy. What's Lodgy? - The amazing new MPV - Multi Purpose Vehicle by Renault India. It might surprise you but till now, I had not been to Goa and I was blessed with this experience to see Goa with BlogAdda and Renault India team. Also, we were given some crazy creatives to share on our profiles ;)

It was raining that day and Mumbai roads were getting water logged, everyone is excited, BlogAdda team is making sure everyone is on time for the flight and reaches Goa soon to have a blast. I reached the airport say 4 hours before the flight, surprisingly I found no traffic as most of the schools, colleges and offices were closed. The flight got delayed by an hour but as they say, patience pays.

Bhumika Thakkar & I were on the last flight to Goa. All the bloggers and contest winners had reached and were already sharing amazing pictures where we were supposed to stay. Guess where? - The Leela Hotels, Goa. Oh, I was so excited already. Finally our flight took off and here we landed in Goa, at around 6 PM. The weather was fabulous and I was already so pumped about it.

We reached and there was a little of introduction and then Manish from Renault took us through the features of this amazing car and then we ended day 1 with a delicious dinner and some interaction with the bloggers and team. We all were divided into teams of 4 and were supposed to choose a name for our team. Ours was Team Lodgysticks - Ashwini Dodani, Neha Kapoor, Bhumika Thakkar & Deepak Amembal Sir.

Each one of us were given this luxurious villa type rooms and were welcomed with personalized welcome cards, ids and renault shirts. Day 2 was all set and the itinerary was so exciting that we all couldn't wait.

After a sumptuous breakfast, it was the flag off time and all of us left in individual Lodgys for the amazing 25 km ride to The Lalit Palace for lunch. During the ride, there were some amazing activities, like spotting a few things, taking pictures, posing with the car, taking wacky photos and videos before we actually reached The Lalit.

As soon as we reached The Lalit, we visited its private beach and went around the amazing golf course and then was lunch time. Post lunch, we gave some media bytes (read like a boss) and drove back to The Leela Hotel. There was so much of greenery around that I couldn't take my eyes off it. After a couple of hours of rest, was planned a session with a few people who have made it big by being a part of Blogging. The talks were amazingly inspiring and then was a panel discussion between a few people who actually blog every day and have made it their profession.

And then what? Then was the real time - PARTY TIME. It was Goa's best band performing live for us, food and drinks were on the house and everyone was dancing to the tunes of some crazy songs. Day 2 ended on a very happy note.

Finally it was Day 3 and we all wished that this trip never ended. Again some amazing breakfast and then I went across the private beach of The Leela and spent some me time there, clicked some photographs, had a beautiful conversation with my roommate - Mr Amembal and then was the time to leave. Sigh, I wish it actually never ended.

Here's the happy team at the end of the trip:

All in all, it was an amazing experience and from my heart, I thank Team BlogAdda and Team Renault India for making me a part of this beautiful journey. :) Three Cheers - Hip Hip Hurray!

I was a part of the #LiveLodgycal Drive by BlogAdda.com in association with Renault India.

The word GAY found its meaning - Happy #LoveWins

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Fri, 26 Jun 2015 19:00:00 +0000

Same-sex marriage has been in talks since ever and ages have passed since there's nothing done about it. To value love, people's choice and make sure they have enough rights to live this one life they have got is legit. And guess what? It's now LEGIT for people out there in US; courtesy US Supreme Court.

Today 26th June, 2015 is a big day because US has legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. All 50 states under US have the right to choose a partner of same sex. Isn't that amazing? Love has actually won. It took decades and a lot of sour legal battles but finally it has been achieved. It's a 100 page opinion on how and why it deserves to be legal.

The list of affected states is here: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, most of Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.

Photograph: Evan Golub/Demotix/Corbis

While the news is spreading like fire, social media is already overflowing with love towards this decision of US Supreme Court. It all started with White House changing its display picture to all the quotes from Obama, Hillary Clinton, Tim Cook and various brands like Kellog's, Absolut, VISA, Macy's etc..

I somewhere read a tweet reading, "This is one of the biggest wars America has ever won." Isn't this so true? To sum this up, here's a quote from Justice Anthony Kennedy:

"The nature of injustice is that we may not always see it in our own times."

I personally think that this is a great step and will inspire a lot of other nations to make them win LOVE. What do you think? :)

How Can You Live In Such Smelly Environment? - Ambi Pur Air Effects To The Rescue

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 09:06:00 +0000

When you do not stay at your own home, it's bound to be unorganized, stinky and a little messed up. Moving to a different city altogether, I have been staying at places where I have to share the house with a lot of people. I am a cleanliness freak and I cannot bear chaos in the house. May it be dirty clothes everywhere to stinking washrooms. I have been looking for a solution since ever. When you stay with roommates, if not telling them what to do, you can always do your bit.

No one likes to experience unpleasant smell around the house or that not so organized room, cupboard or washroom.When there are a lot of people staying with you from different places, different habits and kind of environment they are used to, you cannot do anything but adjust with them. But why to adjust always?

Youth is all about partying, having fun, calling friends over and then if it is your home, clean it up alone. HA! That's quite a sad feeling right? Umm.. I came across a solution to this. No it's not that deodorant you spray or incense sticks or that perfume you think smells good to you. It is:

Ambi Pur Air Effects -

A few sprays around your house and it gives a lasting fresh fragrance for a couple of hours and instantly helps you get rid of smelly odour around your house. Personally, I love the way it has a spray handle which makes it easy to quickly remove the bad smell in case of emergencies - may it be your parents visiting your home, relatives or just friends who drop by for a house party.

I have been using this product since a few weeks and it has been amazing. Like you cannot do with body odour, you cannot do with odour surrounding your home. Especially when you have a small house and there are so many things suffocating the vibe and the air around.

Go ahead and try this product, get rid of pungent smells around your house and have a friend besides you who comforts the aura of your house and creates a lasting impression on whoever visits your house. Because you never know who is visiting you next and how important would be that meeting? Right. You neither want to take any risks nor fall into usual not so working solutions to remove the odor from your home.

Sometimes life shows you simple solutions which you never thought existed and once you discover them, make sure you utilize them at their best. If not just for others, maintaining hygiene and freshness in your own home is a great habit, the sooner you cultivate it, the better you will feel and the better you feel, the more you shall succeed.

Thanks to Ambi Pur Air Effects for being that one stop solution when it comes to making your own home, a little better with its presence.

I am blogging for #SmellyToSmiley activity atBlogAdda.com in association with Ambi Pur.

Launch of Nivea Men Deodorizer in Association with BlogAdda

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 10:37:00 +0000

When it comes to bad odor, no one likes to be in a room or around someone who smells bad. Right?

On a fine Saturday morning, I was invited by the amazing +BlogAdda team to attend a launch of a revolutionary product without disclosing the brand or the product. As always they promised me a great time and they lived up to it.

The launch was at Four Seasons Hotel, Worli. As soon as I entered the venue, I came to know about the brand and it was +NIVEA MEN but I wasn't still aware about what's lined up ahead. I met the team who were as humble as they always are and I started observing of what was it all about while sipping on to some hot coffee and unstoppable biscuits.

The event started by welcoming us all by Rhea & continued with a detailed discussion by Animesh on why body odor happens, what are the root causes and how one should tackle people with not so likely odor. This talk was followed by a fun activity where a lot of us were blindfolded and were made to sniff a few things and describe personalities according to it. I swear my nose went numb at the end of five different things I was made to sniff. Ha! but it was fun. :)

And then the surprise celebrity was revealed. Who could it be? Everyone was feeling that anticipation. It was none other than ARJUN RAMPAL. Everyone was stunned by the way he carried himself and the way he was so humble when he arrived. He continued talking on the same topic and had a fun interaction with all of us bloggers. There was a quick photo session followed by that and then we broke for some delicious lunch.

Post lunch, it was the actual reveal of the product. The revolutionary product which will not only help you get rid of body odor but also help you stay fresh all day long. The Nivea team came on the stage and threw some light on how it is a stigma and everyone feels shy or embarrassed while talking about it.

And then it was REVEALED. Arjun Rampal appeared on the stage again revealing the product - Nivea Men Deodorizer. The official TVC was also revealed to us for the first time. Then was a round of Q & A with Arjun Rampal & Rakshit Hargave (MD, Nivea India Pvt Ltd).

All in all it was an absolutely amazing launch and I have personally used the product which is amazing. :)

I attended the #SniffSniff product unveiling event by BlogAdda in association with Nivea.

Roots

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 12:39:00 +0000

From beginning to the end,

We have a considerable errand,

Not to forget that a reason subsides,

Every time you spill some tears

And by truth, you abide..

Don't splurge on hurt,

Don't wait for life to change,

Let it come as it wants to,

A little modification & it won't be

as you want it to be..

So what's the use of running behind?

Can you stay at calm for a while?

Why are you so anxious, boy?

Stop counting what you deserve,

Stop measuring each and every reserve,

Let the music make you breathe,

Let you be a free spirit..

Be the music

Be the air

Be the rains

Be the storm

Be the success

Be a failure

Be pain

Be a solution

Be a friend

Be a loner

Be a parent

Be a lover

Whatever you want to, just be~

I've Failed

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Sat, 23 May 2015 16:55:00 +0000

Sometimes, all you have with you are your own words to describe how you feel, what you go through and how much it means to you. Life shows you so many ups and downs, there is not a single human being I have met or interacted with, who is not suffering in one or the other way or chasing happiness. This is what it has become, an endless chase or reasons to be found to feel good about life.

They say that at the age of 25 you face mid-life crisis, I never knew what it meant but somehow it always appeared to be negative, a stage of life where you have seen so much that you become numb, saturated and stuffed. Is this what it means? If yes, then maybe I am facing the same right now.

It is not new that everyone has an individual life pattern, choices they have made and the consequences they have faced, and so is this post not about being perfect or getting readership. This post is just about me expressing myself out in words for a release, a release which hopefully gives me back a gush of fresh breeze, play with my hair like a mother’s hand which caresses a child’s head putting him to sleep. Yes, I crave that badly these days. It has not been easy, Ashwini, it really has not been. You have been strong, you have been broken, you have faced it all but you are still alive and there is a reason you are still breathing, that is you, yourself. So be proud of it.

I feel that happiness is a temporary emotion, it’s just a rush and it cannot stay with you. The more you run behind it, the far it keeps getting. Don’t you agree? There are so many pressures in life; family, career, relationships, friends, and you yourself. Everything surrounds you once in a while making you feel stuck, wanting to break all these chains and run away. But how often can we do that? We just wish for it. Life has become so fragile that every once in a while we feel the need to take a break. Our hearts and minds have become so delicate that they cannot succumb to the suffocation. I am sure everyone who reads this will relate to this and somewhere feel inside that I am not the only one. Yes, that’s the truth; no one is alone in this world going through these emotions. We come across so many people facing even much more than we do but we come back to ourselves, consoling our mind that whatever it is, what about my pain and problems? The cycle keeps continuing. What’s the solution? Do we have one ready or do we create one? I don’t know.

People come in our lives, people leave. Not everyone stays but each time you learn a new lesson, a new experience, something unique to remember, something to be thankful about and something to be regretful about. We have become so weak that we need distractions to keep ourselves busy so that we don’t over think or go into that in depth chain of self criticism or analysis. Days, Weeks, Months, Years pass by but where do we reach? We either are at the same place or we have moved on but not applied what we learnt. It all comes back to us once in a while.

We trust a few people who become our confidante but after a point of time; we don’t even feel like speaking to them about the usual troubles which keep bothering us. So what’s next? How do you manage to survive ahead? So many goals to be achieved, so many heights to reach, so much to feel happy and relieved but where to start and when to end? Everything feels like chaos. A chaos like dark walls of messy cyclone, a rain full of experience and a summer raging inside us, consistently. We are more than just seasons, aren’t we?

Cyclone

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 11:24:00 +0000

What if someday you wake up and find yourself being a cyclone?

You tend to be a calamity

Your job is to destroy

Your focus is to create fear

Your goal is to encourage mess..

Your eyes; blind to religion

Your touch; unknown to the skin color

Mercy betrays you; so uncanny

Shiver is all you could..

You travel cities & countries at stretch

You are not meant to stay

You are horrific at appearance

And deny everything which is gay..

You don't know blood

You don't know loss

You don't know tears

You just know how to absorb..

And congratulations; your purpose is served

You have achieved nirvana

But did you realize what you just gave away?

Did you even once think about someone else?

No. That's it. Now learn. Don't be a cyclone.

It was a dream. You still have time. Be calm.

Get. Set. Bolt. - #BoltDrives in association with BlogAdda

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 07:34:00 +0000

Isn't the heat already killing us all? Isn't the regular routine boring us already? Isn't it the best time to take a break? Ah, a yes to all the answers but no plans made every weekend. Amid all this, +BlogAdda decided to make it easy for a few bloggers and to be fortunate, I was one of them.

They invited me to attend a bloggers meet in association with Tata Motors and very subtly didn't give out what it was all about but when asked for a little more detail, they gave out that it was a lovely day planned with amazing activities including a drive till Tiger Point, Lonavla. Whoa, the plan made itself, for me.

How it started? Well, with a sumptuous breakfast at Cafe Infinito:

It was followed by a sweet explanation about the car by Udit and Ashish Sahni, about how we are going to experience a brilliant Bolt Drive. All the bloggers were divided into a team of three and a guide who was supposed to keep us updated on the activities, route and to entertain us. ;) One of the best part of the drive was that there was this anonymous "Captain Bolt" who had each and every detail of all the cars and kept calling us to ask our experience, once in a while.

AND WE WERE READY TO

Our first creative stint was getting a creative picture of our team and it was something like this:

We had Sunita, the only grandmother blogger among us all and to tell you, she was a fabulous person to meet. A published author with three blogs updated each day and not to forget, a brilliant driver. Our first pitstop was at MMRDA ground where we had to take two rounds each and test the suspension. While the car went over the rocky roads, we were given a board with a dotted bolt over it and we had to join the dots. Here's how it went:

Next was the pit stop to refill the amazing chillers loaded in the car with wafers, biscuits and juice. And after that I took over the drive till the lunch stop. Wow, I had not driven since one year and I didn't find it difficult at all to drive this amazing car. See how happy I felt while I was at the driver seat.

The funny thing is that I told my fellow mates to pray for a minute before I started driving. HAHA! This drive was till Triose mall, Lonavla. A buffet lunch was set up for all of us where everyone socialized, ate and gave a few media bytes like a CELEBRITY. ;)

Here's a view of those amazing Tata Bolts from the lunch venue:

Ankit, one of our team members took over from here till we reached Tiger Point. He drove like a pro on the curvy roads till the top and finally we reached. The prodigious view at the top made everyone feel ecstatic. Here we were supposed to take unique and creative pictures, the best pictures win a prize.

Can you feel the amazing feeling even from this picture? It was fantastic.

And then we moved back towards Mumbai. But you know the sweet folks at BlogAdda, they won't let us go without a heartwarming chat. So our last stop was at Cafe Coffee Day, where the winners for the contest were announced. I couldn't help but click a picture of the amazing team of BlogAdda. :)

After a day full of activities and fun, they understood that we might be tired. So every team was assigned a driver to drop us back. I just slept off with my favorite music on and the wonderfully chilling A.C in the Tata Bolt.

The best thing I loved personally about the car was its music player. You don't have to enhance it at all. The effect is so brilliant, I am sure you are going to love it. Here's a video while we were moving back. :) This sums up the beauty of the trip.

Each one of us were given a few goodies as a memoir to treasure. It was indeed a fun day and the hospitality by Tata Motors and BlogAdda was phenomenal. I look forward to more of these associations. Indeed, A sunday well spent at #BoltDrives with BOLT from TATA Motors in association with BlogAdda.

Dearth of a conversation

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 12:46:00 +0000

Amid words and silences

and heights not achieved

lie those unsaid words

and not so gleaming eyes

yearning for a beautiful dialogue

making this life a movie

when it couldn't even be a story..

Have you experienced this blasphemy, I ask?

Have you cried on some nights and hugged yourself?

Has life seemed unfair and brutal?

Have you stared at the moon and feel inspired?

Have you woke up in the morning with a choked throat?

Have you asked so many questions to yourself?

Yes if, you are alive.

Yes if, you have felt.

Yes if, you are experienced.

Yes if, you can write.

Yes if, you are strong.

Yes if, your curiosity is worth a bow.

Let limits not define you,

Let no insufficiency affect you,

You were born to rule,

No one but yourself and in every hue.

Rise up and shine, not only

Give yourself a pat for every achievement,

Go ahead and sometimes with others, agree

Open your mind and let it free,

Open your heart and let it experience glee,

Whoever said life is short, died so early

For he/she could have made it large,

See life's other whole and parts,

And even if then one couldn't feel it all,

Let's still be human and congratulate the depart.

Stability

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 11:17:00 +0000

Rocky roads don't define your fate
There's nothing called as soul mate
Before you get caught up in definitions
Let you create your own..

Let beauty make you appreciate
Be your own opinion
Surrender and commit mistakes
Do not just be afraid..

Your open mind is a canvas
Thoughts, a splash of colors
A different perspective altogether
That kind of innate obsession..

Efforts are always fruitful
They might pay in kind later
Broken hopes, Shattered beliefs
No, don't give them even a heed
Run, Explore, Observe, Fall
Never fret to repeat..

Failed experiments are not futile attempts
Dark thoughts are not a mirrored agony
The light is seeping in
It is making you shine bright
Count on yourself
Pat your shoulders
Listen to your inner voice
Let it speak
Befriend your loneliness
Parent your kindness
We all are in this,
Together..

You are shaken well before stirred
You mix up with intense souls
Everyone isn't fighting a battle
They think so but they just exist
Hold their hand
Make them believe
Discard the negativity
Open those doors, there waits serenity..

Book Review - Cafuné by @Rant_Err (Archana Kumar)

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 07:10:00 +0000

Title: Cafuné

Author: Archana Kumar (@Rant_Err)

Published by: Brambleby Books

Year of Publication: 2014

Number of Pages: 96

Genre: Poetry

Poetry has always been close to me since a few years now when I discovered this potential in myself to rhyme a few words and make sense. But poetry is more than sense, more than just rhymes and more than just meaning.

The more you read, the more you write, the more you discover. This book by Archana is all about reading, writing, living, loving and discovering. Each poem I read, made me dive into deep imagination to interpret the context but then the simplicity of words and short poems quickly brought me back to want for more.

In this anthology of poetry, Archana has penned down her experiences, the pros and cons of love and relationship and a few poems go beyond interpretation, they are just magic. There is something about love and relationships which makes each one of us relate to these words. The best part of this book is that the short poems every once in a while are a treat, like short breaks while you still continue to read.

Archana has quite maintained a balance between the dark and light shades of poetry. This is the first ever book I have read cover to cover without any break because it keeps you glued till the end and I really wished that it had a few hundred poems more. I am sure there are going to be many more books coming from Archana. :)

You can like the poetry page, here and follow the author, here.

A Slave of Love

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Love, such a beautiful feeling,

Some days improper, some nights imperfect,

Yet the wish to keep moving,

The drive to keep smiling,

Have you ever questioned your worth to be in love?

Does it make you feel all alert?

When you lose on words, it captivates,

When you lose on silence, it regenerates,

It makes you slog, it makes you fly,

How will you ever deny?

You give some happiness, you want some back,

All of that unconditional musing feels a slack,

Then why would you want to fall in love?

Why if it feels like a mere barter?

Don't give it all, keep some for yourself,

Never sell off your respect, keep the imagination intact,

Not a trade off, not a deal,

Love is nothing but moments drenched of care.

Finding love is a myth,

When love finds you, resurrect,

Move beyond comparisons,

Support them in their quest,

Storms guaranteed, Pain inevitable,

Yet feel yourself a fighter?

Go fall in love until you make yourself proud,

And can fly a little higher..

To Be Your Cup of Coffee

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 11:57:00 +0000

How I envy your cup of coffee,
Did you ever know that?
The way it relieves your stress,
The way it soothes your mind,
The way you adore its design,
The way you think of it all the time..

I want to be the one who relieves your stress,
The one you think about every two hours, at least,
I want to be around your smiling lips,
To be the one who makes you just feel,
Isn't it strange how we connect?
How we relate and be still different?
So many things for you, I wish to be,
So many situations in which I want to be your relief..

To just be that cup of coffee, you will never ditch,
I know how particular you ought to be,
Like that golden dark fluid,
I will fit into you and you, in me,
I wish life was so well organized, desired & easy :)

Abstract Is Beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 13:54:00 +0000

Falling leaves of the exhausted branches,

Like holding on is so tough,

Yet beautiful roots of your efforts,

Keeping you glued to the importance,

Like the heightened skies colorful,

And crisp experienced in the wind,

Deep rivers hiding your secrets,

Stepped over green grass bearing a smile,

Moon somewhere collecting your wishes,

Picture all what you can while you are alive,

Life is abstract, desires are endless,

See in the eyes of those fishes,

Hug the dog who wags tail in hopes,

A hungry beggar down that road,

Sometimes all of this define "Moving on",

Journey doesn't lead us to destination,

It makes us realize that breakdowns exist,

But getting up and rubbing the dust off your bruises,

Patting your back when no one is around,

Achieving still what you had planned

when no one believed in you,

The first painting,

The last poem,

The tiring morning,

The so alive & breathtaking night,

It's all in the minuscule details,

Write it down or live it up,

Make humanity your religion,

Passion your blood,

Just remember at any point when you look back,

The only emotion you experience is a bursting laugh,

Because you know you fell,

You know you got hurt,

You know you felt left out,

You realized what loneliness was all about,

Still you chose to exist,

Still you strive to be,

That's what makes you what you are, darling,

Keep going!!!

The Importance of A Heart to Heart Conversation

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 10:30:00 +0000

"Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can't make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time." - Rick Warren

Indeed, when it comes to this modern generation, the costliest thing available is someone's time, energy and a listening ear. With technology taking over, we have forgotten the importance of sitting at a calm place, switch off our cell phones and take out time to listen to a few important people of your life. It doesn't take a lot to make the best of your people feel loved, sometimes all they need is you to hear them out. They don't expect solutions or you to help them find some but they want someone to make them feel wanted and understood.

When you read the above paragraph, you will feel it's just expecting too much from someone but I think while you can quote someone to be important in your life, you thereby have an intangible commitment to be there for them whenever they need. It's not expecting too much, it's just human. There's so much happening in our lives that we tend to go blind on the small joys of life or the most important people who have been there for you, who have made you a priority in their life and who have left no stone unturned to be there for you. Just reciprocating back is what is the need of every hour.

Reciprocation. This is one very important thing when it comes to making sure that everything finds a balance. You need to understand that like in real life, we need paths to run both way to help us travel, to help your mind and heart travel at peace, you need a two way path to run smooth. Love and harmony is no rocket science. It's as simple as it could be. Right?

No one is asking you to leave everything or not care about the current happenings in your life. There just need to be slots in your life where everything is stacked up properly, like your wardrobe. These stacks have your important people, friends, work timing, family time, fun time, hobby time and sleep. Yes, when we think of our wardrobe, all we visualize is mess and so does our life appears like that. But what do we do with our wardrobes, we clean them, we organize them and we make sure things are in place to maintain positivity. Likewise, in simple words, do the same for your own life.

Peace. :)

Image Courtesy: http://bit.ly/1yvRhDh

You've Got Me Hooked, Mumbai!

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Wed, 14 Jan 2015 08:01:00 +0000

Dear Mumbai,

This is a kind of an open letter to you. You are the place I have been residing for the last one and a half years, I need to have a word with you and so I thought of writing to you and expressing my feelings for you.

You used to be known as Bombay and I used to be known for nothing then. Today, I have a lot of things which you have given me and I am thankful to you. You are not just a feeling, not just a city, not just another place in this world, not just an emotion, you are a whole. To be frank, I was scared enough to come and meet you or befriend you for life but see what you have done to me today, you have got me HOOKED.

I have found a home in your heart, you have gifted me with a stable job, a few good friends and so many places to be at, where I can find myself alone yet protected. I visit my native place once in a while to get the feel of my house but after a while I feel the need to come back to you and again rest in your arms. You do this to people who haven't been here but decide to come here and stay. You seem to be overcrowded but still have place for millions who are still planning to settle down with you. As said by many and even experienced by me, you take a lot more than you give but that's what life does to all of us, doesn't it? You are doing nothing new and I respect you for all what you have done and how you have been.

It's not easy to give everyone that warmth, make them feel blessed when they are not at their actual home and make people realize the actual worth of their life. You make everyone struggle hard to earn their living, you make them starve, you make them sweat, you make them bleed but at the end, I am sure there are millions like me who come back to you and thank you for what you did to them. You are not a beast, you are not a God but you are a friend, a true friend who shows you the mirror to life, well, by all means of truth one should know.

To sum up, all I would like to say that I am really grateful for all what you have made me experience and the way you have brought me up in this little amount of time. Stay the same.

I will always love you :)

Regards,

A struggling resident - Ashu

The Ten Minute Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Ashu (Ashwini Dodani)) — Thu, 08 Jan 2015 08:13:00 +0000

Some habits are easy to form while some easy routes taken, become habits.

I never thought that I will talk about it but somehow today's journey made me feel that I should write about this experience. It is about the ten minute rickshaw journey I take from my home to the office everyday. Today, it was something different.

I took a rick to office which was driven by an old guy, maybe in his fifties or above. He agreed to drop me near office with a frowned face because it would cost merely the minimum fare but I assume as he didn't find a customer for long so he agreed to consider me for the ride.

To test both our patience, the traffic and the heat added and not to forget, the rick conked off for at least 5-6 times in a mere kilometers' distance. While it was halting at a signal, my eyes just took a glance at my own eyes in the side mirror of that rick. Suddenly the world around me paused. My thoughts took a rick of their own and started traveling in different directions.

My eyes - they looked swollen, they looked deep with unheard stories, they were screaming in themselves, they were pale, as if they have lost the shine, everything around me moved but I, my thoughts and that constant stare were in sync with each other. Slowly they had water in them, no they were not tears, it was just due to the constant stare without a blink, it was just due to the immense brightness of the sun and a little pain which everyone is taking along with them as they move on in life to survive with the help of different vehicles.

The lines on my face looked like scars, my skin felt dry and not just because of the winter, my eyebrows; as if they were birds in cage wanting to fly away with open wings, my face in all mirrored the state of my heart.

The signal lights went green and with a thrust the rick began to move towards another signal, the noises started creeping around in my head again, it felt so disturbing because I didn't want that conversation with my inner voice to stop, it was somehow comforting me, enough to keep the rick going on endlessly but the chain of thoughts broke, I had to give directions to the driver and finally he dropped me to the office.

I don't know how many of us spend time with ourselves, introspecting about life, thinking about how much we are being consumed by our daily routine, how much we need to balance between the journey inside out, how often we should celebrate life with a smile on the face and laughter residing in our heart.

This is not the first time when I saw myself in the mirror and thought about life to this extent, but today it was something way deeper because it forced my senses to describe it in words to stay. I have been confident, happy, motivated, inspired, loved, needed and blessed but what's life without a few hurtful moments, a few important lessons which leave a mark on your soul and tears which make you realize that life is a fruitful mixture of wet and dry.

The monotonous life started to continue but I took time to pen down these thoughts first because I didn't want it to go away from my mind. Hence, the post.

Thanks for reading! :) Love.