Anmol Rawat

Urban Cross - Datsun redi-GO: An Enthralling Ride

2016-06-03T14:58:00.000+05:30

Nissan has always been innovative when it comes to the exterior designing. Nobody is actually keen to find out about the performance of a car if the exteriors are ugly, dull or boring. But when you can get both a good looking car with amazing performance topped up with a decent price, all you can say is - “Shit up and take my money already!”.

The moment I glanced upon the brand new car by Nissan, I was left awe-inspired. Fun. Freedom. Confidence. The ultimate Urban Cross - Datsun redi-GO - the capability of a crossover with the convenience of a hatchback. What else do you need? Before I could dive into the interiors and features, it took me some time to marvel upon the stunning exterior. Obviously, that is the first thing that makes me want to take this car for a spin.

I would say that the design is going to allure both the sporty style enthusiasts and the one looking for elegance in a conventional manner. It looks absolutely sleek, but the humps offers an aggressive stance to the car. It sports a high stance that is supposed to offer us a wider view and I can perfectly understand how. Even if we keep the technicalities apart, it does offer a great visual impact.

I especially like the tail lamps as well. The design is refreshing and unique. While the head lamps has been crafted with perfect finesse as well, the tail lamp design makes you forget everything else.

Secondly, the car is fuel efficient. 25.17 kmpl is an impressive achievement. I believe that most of the people in India will be hooked on to this perfect mileage especially because fuel prices are hiking every now and then. It simply helps in lowering the overall expenditure on your car in long term. I-SAT technology is just the perfect cherry on the top.

The third feature that I love about the car (which is also extremely important) is the spacious interiors. You will not believe how spacious this car is inside the sturdy and sporty build until you witness it with your own eyes. Usually, the cars with a sporty look fall short of the space, but here you get even more than the normal 5 seaters. In addition to the decent leg space for 5 people together, separate space for luggage has also been accommodated inside the car. Even the aesthetics are absolutely plush (keeping the price range in mind).

Urban Cross - Datsun redi-GO is definitely going to drive my driving blues away. Who would not want to ride in such a fascinating ride? The superior comfort that the interiors offer coupled with the groovy music system that comes pre-installed, the only thing that could have kept somebody at bay was a poor mileage, but guess what? You get a great mileage over such enthralling features as well.

Since I put up in Delhi, I would love to go for a test drive if the car is launched at a nearby showroom. It would be a pleasure to finally sit behind the steering and hit the ignition.

In the Long Run of Life, You're Going to Cherish Memories not Smartphones

2015-10-21T15:07:00.002+05:30

The digital world has embraced all of us. While it is probably necessary for development, I’m clueless about the definition of development. For an example, our mobile phones were invented to bring us close to our friends and next of kin. It did serve the purpose as it brought the long distanced relatives, friends or family members closer to us, but it is ironical that the phase has passed and we are sort of coming full circle with the situations that necessitated this invention. What used to be a need has now become an obsessive necessity. People have really forgotten the real values and the importance of meeting someone physically. We often find ourselves wishing birthday to our friends even though we might not have met them in person for months or years. The same goes for the relatives.

To cut things short, I just want to emphasize on the fact that we have gradually grown apart due to the technology that was meant to bring us closer and we need to break the unnecessary shackles before it is too late. Whenever I write about this theme, the movie that flashes before my eyes is - Wall E. I do think that we are heading in the same direction.

I recently went out on a trip with my friends to Shimla and the sole purpose of that trip was to get out of the digital world for once and spend some quality time together for real under the umbrella of nature. Even though it was just a two day trip, it was really rejuvenating. The amazing flora and fauna and the fascinating climate really lit up our souls and for the time being, we felt really happy, the way you don’t feel in your day to day life. We all were together and we did stupid things together to make memories that will never leave us till we live.

The real togetherness is in being together in person with the people you love and care for. It is all about making memories, which is not possible while you are chatting or talking on your mobile phones and other gadgets or software.

I would really suggest people to take some time out from their busy schedule. Surprise the people who are close to you by dropping by at their homes or office. Celebrate your next weekend with your family and go out for dinner. Call your friend on their birthday and ring their doorbell while you are still talking on phone. If you really take a break and think of the possibilities, there are innumerable ways, which can lead you to the real togetherness. Remember that it is these memories of being together that you are going to cherish in the long run of the life and you’ll curse yourself then if you spend this entire time in being busy on your mobile phones.

By the Power of Airtel 4G

2015-08-21T14:22:00.002+05:30

Remember the early days of internet? The dial up connections and the 2g internet on your phones? If you are from my generation or my previous generations, you must have faced the fatigue of downloading your favorite media. I remember how I had to practically leave my internet connection on for the entire night to download tutorials from YouTube. The internet speeds were pathetic and it was even poor if you tried to stream or view anything on your phones.

Even with the 3g networks at present, you cannot live stream the videos in high definition which is essential if you are watching something where details matter or the text is small. Anything blow the HD resolution practically distorts and blurs the text and the minute details that might be essential depending on what you are watching.

Therefore, when Airtel first announced their 4G internet, I was amused and happy. I have even applied for a 4G sim for myself and eagerly waiting for the same and I did not even think twice before applying for it. This is because they are giving away the sim for free and when I checked their tariff plans, they are basically offering 4G speeds at the cost of 3G plans. This is the moment when you say to yourself - ‘this is a golden opportunity.’

While I can’t wait to have the 4G sim in my phone, I have already planned what all I will do once I get the power of 4G speed on my phone:

I’m a big movie buff. When I was not doing a regular job, I had enough time to watch all the trailers and movies at home. But with a fixed hour job especially when you consume almost 5 hours in commuting, you are not left with enough time. So yes, the foremost thing that will be mine is the power to stream movies and trailers on my phone without any stupid buffer icon.

Next thing is the streaming of music especially the live performances. If you’re an EDM or Progressive lover, you know that actually watching your favorite DJ perform in front of a huge crowd is much better than just listening to their mega-mixes. So, Hardwell, Avicii and Martin Garrix, you’ll be mine pretty sooner.

I think a lot of us are a social media addict. Believe it or not, the loading time of photos is a real mood killer. I assume that all the image based data will be available within a click or slide. So yeah, you won’t have to wait while you’re watching the photos of your friends on Facebook or checking their tumbler blogs.

So, that’s my basic requirement but I’m sure, I’ll also be exploring high definition video calling with my Airtel 4G.

Honey Diet is Better Than the Crash Diet

2015-07-10T11:10:00.002+05:30

I have often noticed that people start being careful about their diet as the summers approach. This is because they can’t hide anymore under half a dozen of clothes. However, most of the people are actually doing it in a wrong way. Being careful about the diet should mean a healthy and balanced diet. However, people tend to cut short their food intakes without thinking what it might do to their health. It’s ironic that people who are eating the oily and junk food endlessly, caring about nothing at all during the winters seem to be so concerned in the summers that they literally stop eating. Oh, and a name has been derived as well. It is known as crash dieting.

Even if you consult doctors or dieticians, they will advise you that you must take a healthy meal. Skipping meals can only deprive your body of the basic nutrients that are essential for healthy functioning of body and organs. Our bodily functions derive energy through these nutrient. Consider a situation. What will happen if you stop oiling mechanical equipment? The same happens inside our body.

The first thing that you should analyse is your age and the your day to day chores. It is essential that you know how much calories are burnt in the activities you do on daily basis. You must replenish at least that much and consume a bit more to keep your day healthy. Dabur Honey has come up with an extremely 3 clicks diet planner that can help you with the process. You can visit it to have an almost accurate results which can help you greatly in defining your diet.

Talking about honey, did you know that if included in your diet, honey can prove to be extremely effective. It contains a unique combination of natural sugars and offers itself as a fuel to facilitate the liver in producing glucose. The glucose keeps the brain sugar levels high and assists in releasing fat burning hormones. These hormones actually work around to burn the excessive fat from your body.

The basic application of honey diet includes replacing sugar from your routine with honey. You can even begin your day with a teaspoon of honey in luke warm water (empty stomach). Even including this little routine can help you majorly in reducing that extra flab.

The honey diet also triggers metabolic changes to ensure that you don’t crave for sugar. Moreover, you don’t have to keep counting on the calories, you don’t have to pay a dietician more than you can afford and you don’t have to starve.

So what will be your choice? Indulging in a honey diet or restraining yourself from your basic nutritional needs and ultimately falling victim to ailments?

UC Cricket: The Best Way to Stay Connected With The Game

2015-07-08T23:25:00.001+05:30

I still remember the good old days. Cricket has been a craze in India from ever since I have gained consciousness into this world. These days, things have gone digital, which is also for the good but I’ll come to it later. Talking about the golden days, there was no technology and people literally sat in front of their televisions halting all the other activities that might have been keeping them busy in their day to day lives. You could find empty roads and empty public transports. Several people took leaves from their offices. I clearly remember that my board exams were near and it was a match between India and Pakistan. Upon reaching my tuition center, my sir told me no one had come and so I could also go home and enjoy the match.

That was some time. However, with the development, lives have become too busy. In the competitive world that we are living, it is no more easy to find a holiday even for authentic reasons, let alone for something like a cricket match. People are constantly on the move and there’s nothing they can do about it. This leaves them with no choice but skip the match and satiate their requirements through the highlights or repeat telecasts.

There is an interesting thing about technology. If you can find demerits of anything, you can also find merits. Due to the growth and competition, you might not be able to seek off on working days, but through the growth in technology, you have your smartphones with you. The beauty of these gadgets is that you keep it with you all the time. So, for me, the best way to stay connected with the game will be to stay connected with UC Browser.

Now, you might be thinking why I have specifically mentioned UC Browser. This is because it has given me the fastest browsing experience ever. The site that keep loading for forever opens up easily in this browser. Furthermore, it is quite simple to use. You won’t have to keep finding the options at different places. You’ll get the hang of it within a few minutes.

For something as dynamic as a cricket game, you need faster browsing so you can keep up with the live scores. But it does not stop there. UC Browser has developed a new section for cricket fans which is known as UC Cricket. With the help of this section, you can access all the live updates about the cricket match seamlessly.

Thus, this, according to me is the best way to remain connected with the game any place you go and at any time. You won’t miss any update and you will not miss the excitement or adrenaline rush.

Breaking the #SniffSniff Code

2015-06-26T12:48:00.003+05:30

Receiving clues and playing Sherlock is always fun. I enjoyed playing with BlogAdda in #WhatTheBlack and was happy to be one of the firsts to decipher the clue. Surprisingly, I was right as well. When BlogAdda announced the #SniffSniff activity, I was extremely excited and all the nostalgia came rushing through. I excitedly subscribed to the activity and waited eagerly for the clues to arrive.

As you can see above, the first clue was a wooden clip that was placed above the nose of a man’s vector art. It clearly indicated that the man was distressed of something smelly. What could it be? My first guess itself was body odor. When I read on the inside, it suggested the same. So, what could it be? It had to be a deodorant or perfume. A new range maybe? But I needed to be patient for the next clues. You never know right?

The second clue was amazing. Coffee Beans! For a person who loves coffee, it is a sweet gift. Although I shrugged myself to senses because that was not a gift but a clue that I had to decipher. My belief was a bit shaken because I could not connect the two things at first. However, then I shared it on my Facebook profile and twitter and my friends enlightened me about my confusion. How could have I missed that? Coffee beans are usually provided to people when they are checking out different fragrances. At this point, I was sure that a new deo or perfume range is on way.

The third clue was a mask. Well, wasn’t it too clear of a clue? I guess, BlogAdda went easy on the bloggers this time. Deciphering the mystery this time was as easy as ABC. Even then, if anyone would not have been able to, this last clue was everything one needed to be sure. Why would you need a mask? Obviously, if you travel in public transports, you can understand and relate with it easily.

So, I was sure but I wasn’t sure which brand is it going to be. Then, I received a package by BlogAdda, revealing the product and it was a new deodorant by Nivea. Ah, Odor control! How I wish I could gift it to all the passengers who traevel daily in Delhi Metro.

Anyways, the fragrance is refreshing and the product is effective. It does what it says (I can say that after using it a few times now.).

Thank you BlogAdda for this activity and wholesome fun that is a necessity in the busy day to day life.

My Airtel App can Change your Life

2015-05-15T14:26:00.000+05:30

Time is of great essence. I have talked about it on several of my blog spots. The technology is advancing and people are tugging along. In such a fast life, no one has time to run errands in a conventional style. If one is forced to so, it becomes highly annoying. There was a time when you had to physically go to the shops to get your network topped up. This is not the case now. With the advancement, you are given the facility to do your recharges yourself while just sitting on your laptops with a working internet connection.

Now, Airtel has gone one-step ahead with the My Airtel App that breaks the barrier between mobility and features. Being an android user, I downloaded the app on my mobile phone and decided to give it a try. What appeared to be a basic app turned out to be rich in attractive features. Basically, you have everything in there that you might ever need to do with your Airtel connection and even more.

The three key features that best suit my lifestyle are:
1) Shake for Offers
Now, this is definitely a thumb’s up from my side to the whole Airtel team. This feature will definitely grab the attention of so many people and they will be forced to download the app. And why not? I decided to give it a try and see what I got.

A guaranteed cashback of Rs. 25 on my first recharge of Rs. 50 or more. Now, isn't it an amazing deal. You can even swipe or shake again for more offers. I believe that it will save you a lot of money.

2) My Broadband Bill
Now, the usability of this feature may vary from person to person. The broadband connection I have at home is of Airtel only. Earlier, Airtel used to send the physical bills at home which were sometimes missed by me and I had to pay the penalty. Then, I took their online billing services and it facilitated me to much extent. With My Airtel App, things have become even better. I can just open the app and check my broadband bill from there itself at any time. I can ever pay the same without any hassle. Isn’t it great? You can view and pay your broadband bill on the go.

3) My Data
I have my 3g connection enabled on my cell phone. I can always check using special codes by Airtel but on the app, it goes more extensive. You can even check an estimate on your data usage and select a net pack accordingly. Anytime, anywhere, you can credit your data with the required amount.

These three features are definitely going to suit my lifestyle in the best manner.

...because there's no one like your Mother

2015-05-10T23:32:00.001+05:30

“I beat you, I beat you!” I shouted aloud celebrating my triumph over my mother. What were we playing? Street Fighter! Obviously, I had succeeded in learning a few combos in the game but my mother hardly knew how to play it, let alone beat me. Although, she improved with time and then it was not easy to beat her in the game.

This was just one of the video games I used to play with her. My sister was not much interested in it and that made mom my target. However, it was not just about playing video games. I still remember how happy I had been buying my first deck of WWF trump cards (yes, it was WWF back then, not WWE). I hope you can guess who turned out to be the victim.

I shared a strong connection with mom right from the beginning. I can hardly remember anything from the early childhood days except that fateful night when I was hit by an asthma attack and I kept her awake and worried the entire night. I remember how difficult it was for me, but I also remember how painful it was for her to see me in a condition like that. Yes, it was not a wonderful experience, but a wonderful memory that speaks of an unparalleled affection and care a mother has for her child.

I am an ardent reader. The interest was rooted by none other than my mom. I remember reading all those stories in kids magazines while lying on bed/floor with my head on her lap. She was an avid reader too and I might have received the passion genetically.

I remember running in the parks as she followed me enacting that she can’t catch me and I was faster than her. I remember her encouraging me to take the swing and then holding her breath as I glided down till she had me in her arms again.

I remember when I was ill. Jaundice, the doctors had said. I was not able to walk much and my final examinations were being conducted. I was in fourth standard then. She used to carry me the whole way to school so I could write what I knew. 95+ I had scored in those examinations and she had felt so proud.

I remember when our whole family was suffering from eye flu and both me and my sister had their exams. She used to read things from books so we could listen and learn. It was painful for her as well but she is my mother and she is strong. She would have never allowed us to fail in the examinations.

I can count a numerous memories that are still there in my heart and will always be. I’m glad that I grew up to be a person I am today. A person she feels proud of (despite of several taunts over being careless and what not). I was never the notorious kind and always a good child.

There are several things that you can do to make your mom happy. Frankly, a mother’s heart is not difficult to impress. She will be happy as far as you are happy and can share that happiness with her.

Besides sharing the wonderful memories I have had with my mom, I also want to request to all the readers to take out some of the time from your busy schedule to be with her, to talk with her, to share your happiness with her. She sacrificed a lot for you and continues to do so till she can without expecting anything in return.

Mothers are the most beautiful creations. There’s no one like them in the entire world. Cherish them and offer them the love they deserve.

This post has been written in association with http://godrejexpert.com/single_used_pack.php.

Adultery (Paulo Coelho) - Review

2015-05-06T22:59:00.003+05:30

Author: Paulo Coelho

Publisher: Random House India

Publication Year: 2014
ISBN: 9780143416319
Pages: Paperback, 287 pages

Linda is quite content with her married life. She loves her family and yet she feels something is missing in her life. Something that is killing her from the inside, making her all depressed. She wants to feel more than what is available.

She embarks on an adventure that is, by all means, immoral. Her bold and passionate side takes over her and she commits adultery with her high school boyfriend.

Where will this lead? Will she walk on a path that will destroy her married life? Has she fallen in love with her ex? Does she still loves her husband? What is her future?

While I was expecting Adultery to be a good one, it turned out to be exactly opposite. Don’t get me wrong, but I kind of liked it in the beginning but soon after, Linda’s actions did not seem valid to me. However, I was hoping that Paulo Coelho would have so much to add to her character. Sadly, she remained monotonous until the last few pages. I could never understand what she was doing but I expected it all to lead into a good conclusion.

However, I was even disappointed with the climax of Adultery. How could Paulo Coelho end it like that? She never had a solid reason to commit all what she did. Her ex’s wife is given too short a role of no relevance. I felt really bad for Linda’s husband. He deserved so much better than her.

The thing that I hated most is that this book does not brings out a good philosophical thought and does not even talks about love in its true form. How, Paulo Coelho has represented love in Adultery is something I can’t digest. I never felt anything positive for the protagonist and at times, I wanted her to leave her family for good. The way she realized everything was too forced according to me.

The writing is nice and the book is a quick read. There are some good things here or there, including when Coelho decides to throw a light upon Frankenstein and Mary Shelly. However, that was simply not enough to entertain me as a reader especially when I loved reading Veronika Decides to Die.

Overall, I would not recommend Adultery to anyone because this book is neither inspiring nor a message giver. The context is below average and even a good writing style could not save this from falling short of even average. Read only if you are a fan of Coelho.

When you love each other, you have to be ready for anything. Because love is like a kaleidoscope, the kind we used to play with when we were kids. It’s in constant movement and never repeats itself. If you don’t understand this, you are condemned to suffer for something that really only exists to make us happy.

Beware when making a woman cry. God is counting her tears.

We aren’t who we want to be. We are what society demands. We are what our parents choose. We don’t want to disappoint anyone; we have a great need to be loved. So we smother the best in us. Gradually, the light of our dreams turns into the monster of our nightmares. They become things not done, possibilities not lived.

Reflections - A to Z Challenge

2015-05-05T22:43:00.001+05:30

I never got a chance to write about the theme of my challenge because I subscribed to it quite late. Thus, before talking about reflections, I would like to write a bit about my theme first.

If you have been following my posts, you must have already acknowledged that I have been writing about social issues and ailments that women in India have to face (of course, some of the posts I have written hold true for the situation of women throughout the world). Every day, I find some or the other news where a woman was molested, teased, exposed to torture or violence, news of female foeticide, news of domestic violence, news about sexual discrimination and what not. Frankly, it upsets me a lot. But, what upsets me more is how false cases are filed by women to satisfy their evil intentions. Due to few such women, the real issues are suppressed. The same problem is ignited by some women who can’t acknowledge the meaning of feminism and thus the invented term – feminazi.

Many real issues prevail in our society. Female empowerment is not just limited to telling people that a visible bra strap should not conjure male attention or that sex outside the marital bounds is your choice. It does not come with generalizing men and bashing them all. It’s about standing shoulder to shoulder with men who have a similar aim (banishing gender discrimination) and working together towards the cause to uplift the status of women overall.

Anyhow, let me not delve too deep into that. Through the 26 posts for the A to Z Challenge, I have tried to capture 26 feelings (or emotions) of women confronted with an issue (often crime).

Coming to the reflection, it was certainly a difficult task to write 26 posts in a month, that too when I’m working now and time has become kind of a luxury, but I survived the challenge. Through the challenge, my posts gained a good amount of exposure. Many bloggers commented with their opinions, and it was a great insight into how my thoughts co-relate with the rest of the people. It was surprising that so many readers actually thought I was writing my own story. Well, I’m a guy (evident with the two pictures on top) and the stories that I wrote were fictional based on some real happenings that I came across over the internet. Nevertheless, that actually made me glad that the stories were realistic on that level.

The idea behind choosing this theme was to create an awareness into what all things are happening around us. May be, we can stop them. May be we can raise a voice against that. May be, we can practically go to places and raise awareness.

Through the challenge, I got connected to so many bloggers and even read many posts. However, I failed to read so many people and so many posts that I should have to return the love back to those awesome bloggers who took so much time to actually read my scribbles.

This is the first time I have taken up the challenge and I’m glad I was able to complete it. Thank you so much A to Z team and thank you so all the bloggers.

You can read all my A to Z Challenge posts by clicking here.

Animal Farm (George Orwell) - Review

2015-05-04T23:49:00.006+05:30

Author: George Orwell

Publisher: Penguin Books India

Publication Year: 2011 (first published in 1945)
ISBN: 9780143416319
Pages: Paperback, 95 pages

A group of animals from Manor Farm decides to revolt against the humans after getting annoyed and tired of their servitude to the men who keep on exploiting the animals. Their revolt is successful and they become free from any chains that had bounded them earlier.

However, they fall into a worse servitude by their own kind. Instead of leading an excellent life, they are doomed. Animal Farm is a political satire addressing the socialist and communist philosophy of Stalin in the Soviet Union.

Animal Farm is the tiniest book I have ever read among the hundreds I have read so far. At just 95 pages, it is a quick read and the fact that it is an interesting one keeps you turning the pages until it’s over. Of course, you must have enough spare time for that to happen.

I really liked the book. Right from the beginning, I was hooked with it even though I knew what’s going to happen. The way George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) has narrated the events is brilliant. I am not quite fond of classics but this one was really good.

Animal Farm is a great satire, which might have been written seeking the political situation back in the forties, but holds true even for today. If you read the book understanding the true meaning of the context, you will definitely love it. I personally enjoyed reading the book. If you can fancy a satire, pick up the book immediately.

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

Hopeless Romantic (Mansi Jikadara B.) - Review

2015-05-01T23:52:00.001+05:30

Author: Mansi Jikadara B.

Publisher: Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd

Publication Year: 2015
ISBN: 9789384027681
Pages: Paperback, 204 pages

Casey Dalton is a beautiful teenage girl who is introvert in nature. She shifts to Chicago along with her dad and bumps into a starkly opposite tempered guy Jason “Greek God” Ellwood on the very first day of her high school. Fascinated by his charming and godlike looks, she falls form him despite of the fact that he is already in a relationship with Lyra, his girlfriend. Meanwhile, Eric Simpson, a cute and innocent guy falls in love with Casey.

Hopeless Romantic is a story that revolves around teenage relationships and explores them through the eyes of a teenager who has fallen in love for the first time in her life, that too with a guy who is considered to be a Casanova.

Mansi Jikadara B. makes a debut through the book Hopeless Romantic. The story is not set in India, which was different and likeable. It begins with the development of the character Casey Dalton and the author makes you fall in love with her, the way she describes her to be. The bond between Casey and her father is really good to read about. I was glad that she introduced a parental figure within a romance fiction.

The book progresses with a steady pace and brings in a lot of flavors of high school life – classes, projects, love, heart breaks, prom and what not. Many characters are added but without making it a complex affair.

Mansi targets the teenage and YA readers with her narration and overall story of Hopeless Romantic. Moreover, the book can be categorized as a chick-lit fiction that is supposed to please the girls more. From that point of view and considering that this is her first book, it is a nice debut. I finished reading the book in a single day. It’s an easy to read tale that does not get too stretchy and keeps you going.

However, there are many grammatical errors in the books which sort of ruins the mood. But, she has confirmed that a revised edition (free from errors) will be available soon, which will eradicate this issue. Secondly, the climax seemed to be hurriedly forced to meet up with the requirement of story.

Other than that, I found Hopeless Romantic to be a nice one time read, something you can pick up and read lazing around on your bed, on a weekend.

World's Best Boyfriend (Durjoy Datta) - Review

2015-04-30T22:53:00.001+05:30

Author: Durjoy Datta

Publisher: Penguin Metro Reads

Publication Year: 2015
ISBN: 9780143424635
Pages: Paperback, 288 pages

World's Best Boyfriend revolves around Dhruv and Aranya who hate each other. Something that happened back in school has drifted them away from each other and given birth to a hate so intense that one’s misery makes the other person smile.

Fate brings them together in college again. However, being grownups does not change anything. They still want to hurt each other badly. This leads to a war between them where both of them keep looking for chances to go after each other’s throat.

Yet, there is something that tells them: This is not it.

The book explores the world of two adult teens by taking the readers into a journey filled with laughter, heartbreaks, love and other stuff almost every person must have gone through in their college times.

I’m one of those people who can’t skip any book Durjoy Datta writes. No matter what people say, I’m actually fond of his writing style and admire him for his huge success. World’s Best Boyfriend was a cheesy title to go with. I was sure that this was going to be different from his last book – When Only Love Remains. I’m glad that I was correct because I wanted to read something fresh, different from the gloomy tales he was written so brilliantly in the past.

World’s Best Boyfriend is more about fun than being a college romance fiction. When I was finished with the book, all I had in mind was not Dhruv and Aranya but the friendship of Dhruv and Sanchit. I thoroughly loved their interactions. At so many places, I was sporting a stupid smile reading how they were conversing with each other. It reminds you of your friendship with your best friends. This is one of the things why I like reading Durjoy Datta. He picks up stuff from real life and narrates it awesomely in his books.

I loved reading World’s Best Boyfriend for almost 60-70% of it. As I have already said, it was fun. I could not stop myself from flipping the pages and read further and further. It was definitely a quick read. However, in the last section of the book, I was disappointed. I did not like how the things proceeded. I felt bad for the professor (I won’t disclose) and felt like he was deliberately pushed into a situation just for the sake of the story. I did not like how it proceeded afterwards. After such a good start, I was expecting so much more from the book. In the latter portion, what I liked the most was the interaction between Dhruv and his father. It was quite meaningful and beautiful.

May be the climax of World’s Best Boyfriend could have been altered. May be, the story should not have proceeded as it did because I had really enjoyed the book initially.

Anyhow, the book is still worth a read. You would not want to miss the brilliant chemistry of Dhruv and Sanchit and even the individual character of Sanchit. Some quotes from The World's Best Boyfriend are really good; some of which I'm sharing below. Pick it up if you like the author or you like to read college romances filled with fun and laughter.

Love is a conscious decision to be destroyed.

You have to learn to let people go for their happiness and for your own.

Easy love is no love. Love's not love unless you're laid waste by it, unless you're destroyed by it, ripped apart and scarred for life by it.

That's the cliche about love. You don't choose it. It chooses you.

Z: Zapped

2015-04-30T22:11:00.001+05:30

He was dragging me by my hair. I kept shouting and screaming and all the people watched like all of it was a big mockery. The rocks and dirt had torn my clothes at many places and now my bare skin felt the pang of the hard surfaces. However, it did not stop him dragging me all the way to my house.

Tears were streaming down my eyes. What was my fault? I had failed to acknowledge. Just because I was in love with a guy who belonged to a lower caste, I was exposed to a fate that I believe should not be experienced even by my enemies. I don’t know how they had treated him after catching us hand in hand. All I knew was a tight slap on my face by my father, which had left me almost unconscious. Next, he was dragging me all the way through my hair.

My mother stood still at a corner as he slapped me continuously once I was outside our house. What could she do? She had no authority. When the incessant slaps stopped, I was bruised and bleeding. “I love him papa,” I managed to speak out. My brother approached me and before I could acknowledge anything, I felt like I was zapped and the world went black.

Linking this post with A to Z Challenge.

The Wedding Trousseau and Other Short Stories (Ankita Sharma) - Review

2015-04-29T22:14:00.002+05:30

Author: Ankita Sharma

Publisher: Humming Words Publishers

Publication Year: 2015
ISBN: 9789381560266
Pages: Paperback, 138 pages

The Wedding Trousseau and Other Short Stories is a collection of eleven short stories penned down by Ankita Sharma, the author herself. The stories combine myriad different genres and bring out the expressed form of day-to-day lives.

Some of the stories are inspired from real lives and some have been crafted with the help of her creative writing skills.

It always find it difficult to review an anthology and that too when all the stories are written by the same person. There are stories that you love, there are some, which you don’t, and some stand partially on both the boats.

I would like to begin with the fact that I was able to finish The Wedding Trousseau and Other Short Stories in a single day. 138 pages are not much but believe me, it can be a pain to read even 50 pages if the context is not good. The stories were a quick read and enjoyable when seen overall.

I won’t name any of the stories here because that usually brings in unnecessary pre-judgment in the readers while reading them. However, I would like to say that I loved the paranormal story. Which one is it? You can read and find out. There were some good stories, which ended abruptly, but I loved the abrupt end as well. It leaves you thinking and it makes them stand different.

I did not like a couple or more from The Wedding Trousseau and Other Short Stories, but that’s perfectly fine. When a writer is compiling a few short stories, the liking varies from person to person.

Overall, I liked the book. I would have liked it more if all the stories were based on a similar theme rather than being an amalgamation of several starkly opposite genres. That was a weak link as per my personal opinion. However, it’s still worth reading.

You can purchase the book here:
Amazon - http://goo.gl/P8yUGk
Buy Books India - http://goo.gl/hhDwns

Y: Yielding

2015-04-29T21:53:00.000+05:30

They did not bother to ask me whether I wanted it or not. I felt like I had no choice of my own. They did not even bother to ask me once!

My husband died in a car accident while we were returning from a beautiful evening together. An evening, which I will never forget because that’s his last memory that is secured in my heart forever. Our five-month-old daughter and I survived the crash. Sometimes, I think I should have died along with him; life without him was unimaginable for me. However, looking at my daughter, I realized that she needed me more than I needed my husband.

I would have survived, lived, taken care of our daughter alone, but ‘life is long and without a companion, it’s almost impossible’, they had said. My parents and his. I am being married to his younger brother. No, I don’t want to. How can I? I love him. I still do. I’ll always do.

I’m being forced. I don’t want to, but I’m yielding because I don’t have a choice. I’m not given one.

Linking this post with A to Z Challenge.

Lemon Girl (Jyoti Arora) - Review

2015-04-28T23:57:00.000+05:30

Author: Jyoti Arora

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Year: 2014
ISBN: 9789351749
Pages: Paperback, 168 pages

Nirvi is a culprit of a sin she never committed as per the society’s norms. She is hurting herself, punishing for the faults that were never committed by her. She has suppressed true self, the bubbly and chirpy real her because she is scared of her future and wants to appear perfect not real. With a long list of boyfriends she had had, she had hated them all someday and then broken up.

Arsh fell in love with Nirvi the moment he saw her. However, back then, she was her real self, the version of her that is non-existent now.

Will he stop before finding out what made Nirvi a lifeless doll? Will Nirvi be able to cope up with the past that has wrecked her life? Does Arsh still loves Nirvi? Will Nirvi find her true love in someone?

Lemon Girl is a coming of age novel of a girl who portrays the fate of many women in Indian society spiraled down a romantic shade of life.

Jyoti Arora, the author of Lemon Girl, does a fine job in creating a situation that is both thought provoking and intense. The plot of the story is quite different from the run-on-the-mill teenage romance fictions we often come across. She carefully builds up a situation that will make you feel for the protagonist girl.

Saying anything regarding the character of Nirvi might come up as a spoiler and thus, I will not talk more in that zone.

Lemon Girl was a quick read for me. You keep turning pages given that you have that much time until you finish off the book. A lot of turns crawl up in the lives of leading characters reflecting the reality of life that is being lived by us in the present world. The present world is modern and developed but the book shreds the thought and the statement appears to be ironical.

I found the book to be good but there were some things I did not like and that is a sheer personal opinion. It does not target the capability of the author but only clarifies my reading experience. I found the phrase ‘Lemon Girl’ over used throughout the context of the book. At some places, I could not understand the behavior of Nirvi. Some phrases explaining how a girl is considered responsible for her own abuse did not go well for me; seemed like author’s feelings towards the cause pushed him to mention everything. Why did the culprit do it remained unclear and unexplained. It’s not a usual thing and I felt it should have been explained.

Overall, Lemon Girl is definitely a good work that should be read by everyone because it is different and raises up some valid points towards an issue that has set its roots deep in our society.

X: X'd Out

2015-04-28T23:25:00.000+05:30

Why?

Why do men only desire those hot chicks with slim figures even when they are the dumbest girls you can ever meet? I hate that I have myself turned into a kind of person; I have hated all my life.

I’m the top of my class and have an IQ level that most of my classmates don’t even dream of achieving. Even then, I long for the attraction that the other girls get from the boys. I also have a girl inside me who years for the male attention; not in the cheapest and meanest way you might be thinking but in a likable way.

However, I always feel X’d out from the rest of the world. People look at me like they have seen a joker in his shiny pants. They make fun of me. Sometimes I overhear them and feel like someone has pierced my heart.

They fail to understand that I did not choose such a body. It’s all because of my hormonal imbalance and that I have been fighting against it from ever since I’ve come to know about it.

Linking this post with A to Z Challenge.

W: Withdrawn

2015-04-27T23:06:00.000+05:30

I felt withdrawn while nibbling on the food that was kept in front of me. All the eyes were set on me because I was usually quite chirpy especially during this hour of the night, but I could not talk with anyone tonight. How could I?

How could I tell them what was eating me up? How could I tell them that their beloved daughter was not returning from a two-day college trip but from a hospital? How could I tell them that their innocent daughter had just gone through an abortion? How could I tell them that I hated myself for what I had done?

But what choice did I have? He had left me alone the moment I told him about it. No picking up calls, no texts and nothing. He had just disappeared like he never existed. I know that we are too young to handle something like this, but he should have at least stayed with me. After all, he was also equally responsible for this.

I had lost hope after 20 days of his unexpected behavior. And to think that he wanted to marry me after the college. Killing an unborn is still considered as a crime by so many people, but what else could I have done?

Linking this post with A to Z Challenge.

Small Reasons can Fill Your Life with Happiness

2015-04-26T15:39:00.002+05:30

I was walking towards the metro station after completing my shift at the office. There was a lot going on in my mind. The entire cluster ultimately leads to disappointment, sadness and agony. There are so many troubles in a life I had thought that no one can be happy anytime, at least not me. Work pressure, peer pressure, heartbreaks, ailments, frustrations and what not. At least I cannot be happy, I was sure.

The next day was not any different. The same old early to rise (although late to bed, trying to leave dark circles on my eyes) routine, the same sleepiness prevailing over you even under the shower and the same boring formal clothes. Nothing was ever new. It was the same old, dull and irritating routine. While climbing down the metro station nearby my office, I located a 7-8 years old boy sitting on a footpath with a small bag. I went closer to find that he had a black shoe brush in his hand.

A man stopped by in front of him, lifted his boot up and the kid began polishing his shoe. After about five minutes when he was done, he asked for ten bucks from the man. “10 is too much,” he replied. “The shoes don’t look good at all.” Saying that, he threw a five rupee coin at the child and moved ahead. It’s funny, he agreed to pay 10 bucks to buy a cigarette from a pan stall erect at a few feet distance.

The kid picked up that coin and put it inside his bag. I went ahead and the moment he saw me standing in front of him, he started brushing my shoes as well. I stopped him and asked me if he was new in the area (I had not seen him earlier).

“My parents abandoned me because they did not have enough money,” he said. “I have been working for five months now. This place is cooler than where I used to sit and thus I decided to sit here from today.”

“How much do you earn?” I asked.

“Enough to feed myself and save a bit. I have saved 500 rupees in five months,” he said smiling.

“What will you do with your savings?”

“I will give it to my parents when I find them. They don’t have enough to feed themselves.”

I was left baffled by the words coming out from such a small kid.

“Are you happy with what you are doing?”

“Yes, sir. At least I’m not begging for money. I’m earning it through my hard work. I’m happy with what I earn. I sleep with a full stomach; what else do I need?”

I took out my tiffin and gave it to him to eat. He was happy to find the homemade food.

He taught me something that I could not teach myself - To live in the moment, to find happiness in what I have, to be content with whatever lies in my plate every day. It’s not that the happy moments were absent in my life earlier, it’s just that I did not weigh them with much importance. The sad affairs occupied me more than the happy moments. I realized that I had been wasting my life and the moments that I could have relished worrying for the lost causes.

It’s not that sadness do not embrace me now, but I have started cherishing the happy moments more now. You never need the big occasions or big achievements to be happy. I find happiness sitting around with my parents at the dinner table and having food together. I find happiness talking and expressing my thoughts and feelings with my loved ones. I find happiness in hanging out with my friends. I find happiness in writing my heart out and sharing with the world, my vision my reveries.

I find happiness in walking on my terrace with my favorite music plugged into my ears when the wind is blowing. I find happiness in the rain drops splashing over my face, rejuvenating my senses. I find happiness in shaking my feet when nobody is watching. I find happiness while singing in the shower.

I find happiness watching the birds flying high in the sky. I find happiness in people spreading the love. I find happiness in the happiness of others.

Being happy is not that difficult. All you need to do is look for it, find the small reasons that can be cherished and you will find that sadness even though present will stop troubling you often.

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V: Vulnerable

2015-04-25T13:46:00.000+05:30

I was just 6 years old when I was married to a guy double than my age. People said that I was lucky because people usually got their daughters married at the age of 3 or 4. I was lucky to have been allowed to live for a few years more without being tied to a relation that I could not even understand at this age.

While writing this journal entry today, I feel lucky to have survived from a situation that had left me vulnerable. It was not just about the marriage itself. It was about staying in a stranger’s place where people treated you like their servant. I was beaten up, molested, forced to starve and do all the chores of household.

That had become my destiny until the day I decided to run. With shreds of clothes on my body that revealed the bruises and stomach that ached of hunger, I fled from the living hell when I was just 13. When I think of it at present, I get shivers thinking I might have ended up in a worse situation. Thankfully, I found shelter in an orphanage.

I’ll turn 18 next month and I have decided to dedicate my life towards the cause. I don’t know how much difference I can make but I will try my best. :

Linking this post with A to Z Challenge.

U: Ugly

2015-04-24T22:00:00.000+05:30

I am Ugly. The world says so. They don’t know that when I was a child, my dream was to win a beauty pageant and when they say it behind my back it hurts me more than it hurt me when the acid drops blazed my face.

I can never forget that day because even if I want to, this society, this hypocrite society won’t let me forget it. What was my fault? Just that I did not want to talk with him because I never talked to strangers. He used to follow me from my college to back home. It was a daily chore and I kept ignoring for days no matter what he said. I asked him politely to leave me alone, but he did not listen. It was afraid as the days passed; who won’t be?

I decided to talk with my parents. They were infuriated I did not tell them earlier only. They decided to file a report against that guy. I told the police everything they asked.

I was happy because he stopped following me from the next day. However, I did not know that the happiness that I had found for maybe a week will cost me so much. The next week, he was there. Scared, I started walking towards the rickshaw stand. He approached me before I could reach. All I remember after that is a bottle that shined in the bright light and the screams that echoed in the street the moment he splashed that liquid on my face.

Today when I look at myself in the mirror, tears escape my eye. Yes, just one eye. One was damaged in the accident. I don’t know if he had been caught by the police after what he did with me, I have stopped keeping a track. All I know is that nobody can return me what I have lost. People simply sympathize with me and try to pretend that they care. The truth is that nothing has changed. The world stops caring after some time and it moves on. The only one left behind is the one who is the victim.

Linking this post with A to Z Challenge.

To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) - Review

2015-04-23T22:56:00.001+05:30

Author: Harper Lee

Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd

Publication Year: 2010 (First Published in 1960)
ISBN: 9780099549482
Pages: Paperback, 309 pages

“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

The book explores the thirties and the people’s irrational attitudes towards the colored race and class in the Deep South through the young eyes of Jean Louise Finch (Scout) and her older brother Jem who lives with their widowed father Atticus, a middle-aged layer.

The kids are afraid of their neighbor Arthur “Boo” Radley who likes to stay inside the confines of his home.

Meanwhile, Atticus is appointed to defend Tom Robinson, black man who is accused of raping a young white woman, Mayella Ewell. He tries to defend him with is best efforts and the shocking truth is revealed. However, will the society who hates the black people understand?

To kill a Mockingbird is an anti-racist historical drama that peeks into the mindset of people and explore the hypocrisy of the society.

The last classic I read was ‘And Then There Were None’ but that should not count because it was a mystery thriller; something that I can read without a problem and something that can keep me interested. Picking up ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ was kind of a risk because drama is a genre I escape from. However, it is such a popular book that I had to pick it up.

Coming to the review, I found ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ to be a nice simple book that is innocent in the narrative as the narrator is a six-year-old girl who is not accustomed to the racism and other worldly affairs. I liked reading about her and her brother and their friend Dill. But soon, it became dull for me. I really wanted it to pick a pace that could suit my taste but sadly, it did not.

Then, the case commenced and the way Atticus defended Tom in the court was admirable. I really started liking it from here onwards. What happens next is what you can already guess but it keeps a crystal clear image of society in front of you.

To Kill a Mockingbird became dull again but I was satisfied with what the climax offered. It was a perfect climax for the book and I was happy at least.

Overall, I really think that the book is overhyped, maybe because of the theme and the unbiased portrayal of things back then. It may be possible that I am not accustomed to reading serious literature, but it lacked a decent plot for me. The theme was good but the plot was too small and too straight.

To Kill a Mockingbird is worth one read for sure but is it anything more than that? I believe it will depend from person to person. I know people who are a die-hard fan of the book. For me, it was just a good book with a simple narrative even while handling a serious issue.

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.

The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.

People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.

Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.

T: Terrified

2015-04-23T12:04:00.000+05:30

I was terrified. He had rejected me straight away on my face. “I don’t want to marry a whore,” he had said. “Are you pure?” He had asked.

I had replied him honestly, because he sounded pretty mature in his talks and his charming demeanor had already attracted me towards him. I did not want to start a new relation on the foundation of lies. The question has left me stunned because I did not know that an educated person like him could talk like that. Whenever I read about such things, in people’s blogs, I always thought that at least the educated people did not ask such terrible questions. However, I was wrong.

“No,” I had said and told him about the guy who had promised me stars back in time. The guy with whom I had slept for the sheer nurturement of love and warmth we shared with each other. The guy who had abandoned me a few days after saying that I was a whore for sleeping outside of the marriage and he did not want to be in a relationship with a girl like me, let alone marry. The guy who had shattered my world and made it almost impossible to be restructured.

My truthfulness did not buy me anything. Here I was sitting alone, being rejected by a guy with whom my marriage was proposed by my parents. I’m terrified because I fear he will reveal it to my parents, when asked about the reason. I fear that they won’t understand me and will feel ashamed. I fear that I’ll be left alone and for what reason?

I wonder if the guy who wrecked my world, the guy who should actually be subjected to all of this for doing what he did even remembers me today. I wonder if he had to face any problem because he also had slept with a girl outside the bounds of the marriage.

Linking this post with A to Z Challenge.

S: Stupid

2015-04-22T23:21:00.002+05:30

I should not have gone alone with him. I should not have trusted him. But what could I do? I loved him; loved him more than my life.

He wanted to go someplace special for his birthday and I could not deny him. How could I? I would have done anything to make him happy. He promised me a romantic night - just him and me and for that, I went to his friend’s villa along with him so we can spend some quality time alone and celebrate the occasion.

It was supposed to be vacant for us. However, his friend was still there and he explained why he could not go. I felt a bit weird in his presence because I did not know him, but I had him by my side. Why would I have worried?

But back then, I had no idea that it was all planned. A plan to molest me, torture me physically and rape me. He never loved me. It was all for a bet that he had even proposed me, spent all that time with me and won my trust. All so that they could together claw my dignity that night and satisfy their carnal desires.

Maybe, I was stupid, but did that heinous deed made him a smart one?

Linking this post with A to Z Challenge.