• Who : Kislay Chandra
  What : The Cook and the Janitor
  Spicy : ‘Secularism is a must, in its pure and unadulterated form’  is the message which this beautiful post written by Kislay Chandra. He has conveyed the message so beautifully using a Cook and a Janitor as the medium is remarkable. This post is worthy of its pick as it has been tipped to us by both Smita and Indyeah. A must read!!!

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• Who : Khusbhu Srivastava
  What : Indian Sex Workers and a Celebration of Sexual Diversity
  Spicy : As the title suggests, this very informative post by Khushbu talks about the Indian Sex Workers. In this post she shares her experiences of what she has seen about the lives of Indian Sex Workers all over India. A sure read!!

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• Who : Vishesh Unni
  What : Healing the world
  Spicy : Do you believe that you can heal the world? Are you looking for peace in this world? Vishesh in this very relevant post (tipped by him) talks about how he wants to make a difference in this world and what can be done for it. Join the bandwagon.
  

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• Who : Rohini
  What : One More Reason to Regret my Caesarean
  Spicy : This post is for all the people who are familiar with the word Caesarean. Do you regret a caesarean or you are ok with it? Rohini has her views in a must read post.

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• Who : Gauri
  What : The Traditional Feast …
  Spicy : In the modern times we are used to buffet and lunches. There is a different feeling altogether when the family assembles to have a traditional feast. Gauri has shared her experience and how much she enjoys it. A post which will make you hungry

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We continue to serve you the best Indian Blog Posts week after week. Hope you are enjoying them .

If you come across any interesting post and want to share, you can tip us on Twitter or contact us here and we will credit you for the selected pick.  To know the future about Digital media and Advertising, we have Rajiv Dingra sharing his knowledge with us through this very informative interview. Do read it.

Related posts:

1. BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks – May. 30, ‘09
2. BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks – Jun. 27, ‘09
3. BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks – Jun. 13, ‘09

Q: When and why did you start blogging? Was it out of curiosity or something else?

A: I started WATBlog in 2006 July. I was a startup entrepreneur then running a fresher jobsite. I had also spent 6 months working in a digital advertising startup and I felt I had good amount of insight and knowledge. I wanted to showcase that to the world. WATBlog was started not as a business but as a passion to delve deeper into the digital media space.

Q: What topics do you generally blog about?

A: I personally like blogging about digital marketing, digital media businesses, social media, entrepreneurship and startups. WATBlog though covers a wider range as there are more than 10 active bloggers blogging about Telecom, VoIP, Social Media, SAAS and technology trends.

Q: Do you ever get stuck when writing an entry?  What do you do then?

A: Yes sometimes. But that is because I’m doing a lot more than just blogging at that moment. We run a successful social media consulting arm WATConsult which keeps me busy and therefore sometimes in the middle of blogging I am called upon and the entry gets stuck. With regards to what I do.. well after close to 1400 posts I’m good with carrying on from where I left off and completing the blog.

Q: Do you earn revenue through your blog? How does one go about it?

A: Yes, since the last 10 months WATBlog has been making revenue via ads and events. If one would count WATConsult (as a beneficiary of the WATBlog brand) then we are making revenue since 2 and a half years.  Well, ad revenue will take time coming so my suggestion to bloggers would be to build a brand and see alternative channels of revenue. We saw alternative channels in events and consulting and those have served us well.

Q: How important is it for the blogger to interact with their readers? Do you respond to all the comments that you receive?

A: Its very important. I try to respond to those on my posts. Sometimes the readers converse among themselves and its nice to just read their views and insights on our story.

Q: How, in general, would you rate the quality of Indian blogs? Share your favourite five blogs.

A: Indian blogs are interesting and according to me can be classified into those providing news  vs those providing insights and analysis (on one or many verticals) while a large number of them are personal ramblings on various things.   I like

• Digital Inspiration
  Choosing the Right Social Bookmarking Widget for your Website
• Indiaprblog
  8 tricky social media marketing questions from clients, answered by Dave Evans
• Webyantra
  VC & Startup Founders saga continues
• Ofcourse Watblog.com (I write fewer posts these days so I read a lot of the posts)
  Social Media Poised at $3.1 Billion Globally in 2014 – India’s Potential?
• Indiauncut
  ‘We Keep Marrying Other Species’

Q: What do you find to be the most gratifying aspect of blogging?

A: Well, blogging is like a well done research. One is enriched with one’s own insights when one blogs. I believe we can give shape to thoughts and views by blogging and reading our readers views.

Q: WATConsult operates WATblog, WATShow, WATJob, WATGame, WATPR. Tell us more about them and WAT Next ?

A: I’d like to correct you here WATConsult is a subsidiary of WATMedia Pvt Ltd (the parent company). So the parent company operates all our businesses be it media properties like WATblog, WATShow.com, WATJob.com, WATGame.com, WATPR.com or consulting business WATConsult.com or our events WATBlog panels and WATBlog Wednesdays.

The answer WATNext would be answered this year. We have always had a big vision with the WAT brand and recently at our birthday we gave out WATTITUDE tshirts as well. WATTITUDE is a definition of those who have a digital attitude and showcase the same via their blogs, twitter ids and facebook profiles. Over time, WAT aims to be a thought leader in the digital media space by enabling connections, conversations and collaborations within this space i.e. (Web Advertising and Technology space). Our new initiatives would be in making this vision a reality. We have a simple goal. We want to grow the digital media industry and play the role of the enabler.

Q: Lately, Mainstream Media has developed a breaking news syndrome. Does this happen in the internet space as well and how do you manage it?

A: Well, it will happen and is already happening in the internet space. Check the twitter id for breaking news on and see the number of followers. This just states that there is a following for breaking news kind of content. But then again to do it regularly isn’t an easy and scalable task. But yes this syndrome will exist in all media forms.

Q: WATblog covers WAT events in the country with WATshow doing video interviews. Which was the most difficult interview to take and why?

A: Well, we never found any interview difficult as such as we do our research well. As far as exciting interviews are concerned I have 4 personal favourites which I personally interviewed. Matt Mullenweg – Wordpress Founder, Om Malik – GigaOm, Sanjeev Bikhchandani – Naukri.com and Ashish Gupta – Helion Ventures. From the other WATShows, I would say Jimmy Wales – Wikipedia & Esther Dyson – Edventure holdings would be special but my team interviewed them.

Q: How would you differentiate WATblog in terms of content and offerings with other players like Medianama & PluggD covering the similar space?

A: I think this question itself is misplaced as all these three platforms are different in their genesis. WATBlog is covering the entire WAT Space and has been around for over 3 years, we have video in WATShow and have covered as well as conducted our own events. By sheer volume and breadth of coverage we are bigger than both the entities you mentioned above. With regards to traffic you can check Alexa, Compete or any other third party tool to compare us. Now besides for these factors the content itself is different for Medianama and Pluggd. Medianama focuses more on Telecom while Pluggd focuses on startups. WATBlog on the other hand is enabling the digital media industry as a whole be it startups or telecom or any digital marketing professional.

Our content spread is broader as we have over 10 regular bloggers which again is a differentiator as none of the above two can truly be called a ‘group blog’. And we have been a group blog since inception (overall more that 50 contributors). I think we can be compared to a Techcrunch or Mashable in that regards as most of our bloggers are remotely working with us. Also, I personally power just about 40% of content at WATBlog. From the 3500 posts on WATBlog I have posted about 1400 odd (you can do the math) that tells you that in the true sense of the term we are a group blog that believes in the wisdom of many vs one. We are here to build the WAT brand whether Rajiv Dingra is alive or dead For me success would be that WAT brand lives on despite my existence.

Having said this I feel Pluggd and Medianama are doing a fantastic job and we feel proud that they are growing the space and themselves with it. We would want more such niche content players so that our larger vision of growing the digital media space is met.

Q: What do you think is the biggest thing that marketers fail to realize about digital advertising and social media ?

A: Marketers fail to realise that this is just a decade old industry and the consumers of the media have still not grown up to be the sellers or buyers of the media. For example, the social networking geeks of today will be the brand managers of tomorrow in 3-5 years. That is when you will see the digital media spend rising more than ever before. Also, as current marketers are not heavy consumers they feel this medium is small and non impactful this realization would be easy once both the buyers and the sellers of the medium are heavy users themselves.

Q: Which tools/plugins do you use to efficiently manage your blog? Any widgets or tips you would like to share with our readers.

A: My favourite plugins would be Fireshot – (Firefox addon) for screenshot, Google Sitemaps XML plugin for Wordpress, absolute comments plugin for comment replies, Facebook connect plugin for Wordpress.

Q: What promotional techniques work best for you and why?

A: We don’t promote. We just make sure we blog good content and we take our readers feedback seriously. WATBlog is at a stage where good content + going offline with events and other opportunities is the way to grow.

Q: What is your advice to someone who wants to start a blog?

A: Do it coz you love doing it and not coz of any other reason.

Q: Let’s conclude off with a few favorites.

Color: Blue

Movie: Catch me if you can

TV Show: How I met your mother

Book: The monk who sold his ferrari

Time of Day: Morning

Connect with Rajiv : BlogAdda : LinkedIn : Twitter : Facebook

Thank you Rajiv for your  answers. It was our pleasure interviewing you and we are sure our readers would enjoy reading the insightful answers.

Friends, do let us know if you liked the interview and what would you like to see in the future at BlogAdda. Your feedback is very valuable. BlogAdda invites guest bloggers to write at our blog. We have Ashu Mittal writing in with 5 tips for effective photography that will be useful to everyone. If you are interested to write in as a guest blogger, do send a mail at guestblogger@blogadda.com

Related posts:

1. Interview with Nikhil Pahwa of Medianama
2. Interview with Gaurav Mishra aka Gauravonomics
3. Interview with Priyanka aka Twilight Fairy

I didn’t know that my neighbourhood park had rows of trees with lilac flowers. Or that if I stand in my balcony between 6.30 and 7 in the evening, I will see flocks of birds returning to their homes against splendidly-painted skies. I have lived in the same house for about 4 years now. So what changed? Well (to use a cliché) I became a shutterbug of sorts. And I feel immensely happy and sad at the same time. Sad at having missed experiencing so much beauty that was around me all along, but happy that I will no longer be sleep-walking through what life has yet to offer.

Though I am not courageous enough to call myself a photographer (I am content being an enthusiast), but just as I received a lot of help and encouragement along the way, I am impelled to share what I have learnt (and unlearnt) so far. So, you may be an expert and may have been-there-done-that, or you may be the kind who dust-off their camera twice a year for the customary vacation clicks, read on to find out what are my key takeaways so far:

1. No camera/lens/<insert any other accessory> is bad (or good) enough: You can just use your point-and-shoot to click an extra-ordinary picture (like this), or you can use the most sophisticated camera to click the most mundane picture (you don’t need me to tell you which pictures fall in this category . That’s how it is. Don’t be bogged down by the “gear” you have. Start clicking, and start doing so consciously. If you have a decent P&S, start exploring beyond the “Auto” mode and learn the basics about composition, perspective, framing and so on. You might even be able to try out some primary Aperture, Shutter-speed and ISO controls (also called the exposure triangle). See how it goes and then plan about upgrading to an SLR.

However, if you don’t have a digital camera yet or have an old one and are planning to upgrade, just one word of advice: please don’t spend more than 15k on a point-and-shoot no matter how feature-rich it claims to be. Save some more and spend on an SLR. Even if it is the entry level SLR with the kit lens (costs about 25k), it will be worth it.

2. Stop, *Look*, Go: You know who the best writers are? Invariably those who are the most well-read! So go on, hunt for the most awesome photographs (anywhere from the Boston Big Picture to even some of the Flickr groups will get you started) and just observe all those fascinating pictures, very very keenly. Then, try and think about the “one” most striking thing about each of those images. This is what I do and it entails the kind of tacit learning that stays with you forever. And the next time you are clicking that shutter, you will consciously (or subconsciously) realize what is going to make your capture that extra-bit special.

3. Post-processing is not a cardinal sin: Don’t for a moment fall in the trap of the people who say a big no-no to post-processing, ‘cause they (as my friend Aldo Risolvo points out) are either ignorant or just plain jealous. And I am not saying that you necessarily “edit” your pictures every time (though that is yet another art altogether and far more complex), but by all means, use one of those amazing softwares out there (I use Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom®) to enhance your pictures.

Enhancing, again, can be anything from a simple increase in the contrast or putting together a full-blown HDR, but using it wisely will definitely make your picture come alive, and how. To quote another inspiring friend Helen “Your picture may not be SOOC, but it will be exactly what you want it to be”. So go ahead, use ‘them software, and you will be surprised with what you may uncover.

4. Network with people, it makes a difference: Yes, just like any other hobby/profession, networking with people with the same interests pays rich dividends. Always welcome feedback, especially the negative kind. It’s like getting free consultation, ain’t it? And even if photography is something you do for your personal-fulfilment, you can always improve by listening to what others in the field have to say. Moreover, there are ample avenues to easily find those who share this passion with you, whether it is your local photography groups or simply through social networking sites (Facebook groups, Twitter directories, etc.), it will do you a whole lot of good by interacting with them.

5. Don’t let education get in the way of your learning: Recently, I get asked these two questions a lot (and at alarming frequency): “What camera do you use? Have you taken any formal course?” Well, I want to address the second question here (though the answer to the first is a Nikon D40 and it really doesn’t matter). Anyway, here goes: No, I haven’t taken any formal training and I haven’t really felt daunted by this fact.Let me ask you this: Do you ever look beyond the set-up page of that bulky user manual that comes with your camera? Well, I read it from the first page to the last, and I did myself a huge favour. Turns out there are a lot of good tips in there!

Moreover, there is a wealth of resources easily available on the internet that can be exceptionally useful as you start learning the ropes (to name just a couple: Ken Rockwell’s site, Digital Photography School). So whether or not you should take a course? You already know what my answer is, but it’s also your personal choice in the end (considering that good courses don’t come cheap).

All said and done, always remember that “Your first 10,000 clicks will be your worst.” And you may want to increase that number 100 folds considering Henri Cartier-Bresson said that quite a number of years ago. But yes, the idea that unrelenting persistence will be the tipping point from good to great still holds true. And yet, don’t take the brute-force approach of just snapping away in the hope that you might get lucky. Trust me, if you don’t know what you want right now, you will never know later.

That’s about it. Go ahead, take out that camera and start taking notice of how your mom’s lips curl a special way when she smiles.

You can also write a guest article and share your knowledge with our community. Do contact us or tip us on twitter if you would like to do guest blogging for us.

Ashu Mittal works in a software multi-national in Noida (India) and loves to dabble in photography at the first chance she gets. You can see her most interesting work here: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/ashumittal/popular-interesting/ and it ranges from the stunning sunsets from the deserts of Rajasthan to serene landscapes from the far-east India. Flower photography is what she believes to be her stronger points as compared to some of the other areas. Nevertheless, photography is a lucky tryst that she hopes will become a lasting affair! You can also find her on Twitter

Related posts:

1. Interview with Satish Vijaykumar of BombayLives
2. Interview with Priyanka aka Twilight Fairy
3. BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks – May. 2, ‘09

• Who : Inner Vision
  What : Sex – a taboo!
  Tangy: Our first post for this week as title suggests talks about Sex as a taboo by a ‘Visually Challenged Couple‘. They try to find the answers to the question ‘Why Sex is a taboo’. What are your views on the same?

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• Who : Sathyanarain
  What : Only one burns
  Tangy : Sathyanarain is known for his brilliant short stories and here is one such from his bag . A short story with unexpected twists and turns which makes you wish that it continues. A must read!!

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• Who : Ankit Garg
  What : Rakhi Sawant ka swayamvar
  Tangy : ‘Rakhi ka Swayamvar’. This show has created a buzz and is on everyone’s mouth . Ankit reviews the show and we are sure you would ROFL on his analysis. A post not recommended for die hard Rakhi fans .

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• Who : Preeti Shenoy
  What : Is it a man’s world?
  Tangy : Preeti Shenoy (Interview with Preeti Shenoy) in this very interesting post tries to answer this question. A very interesting post with lot of mixed reactions on the post. Do voice your reactions to Preeti . This post has been recommended to us by an anonymous user using the contact form . Thank you whoever you are .

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• Who : Iya Malhotra
  What : 2 Sisters and no Brother, God be with your parents
  Tangy : Do you feel different if you have sisters and no brother’s in your family? Do you feel different when other’s ask you this question? Iya vents out her feelings and this post has been tipped to us on Twitter. Do read it and share your thoughts on the same.

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• Who : Aniket Thakkar
  What : Small Talk
  Tangy : This post was tipped to us a bit late by Abhishek Thakkar but is worthy of the tip. This post by Aniket is a flash fictional story. We do not want to reveal the storyline but we can assure you that it is worth the read

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In the part and parcel package we also have  Spicy Saturday Picks and the Perky tweets. Do not miss reading them.  If you have any interesting posts or tweets to share with us, contact us or you can tip us on twitter using ‘Tip @blogadda’ along with the link and we will credit you for that.

The Part 2 of  Indyeah’s interview is as interesting as the Part 1 and if you have missed reading it, Do read it now .

Related posts:

1. BlogAdda’s Tangy Tuesday Picks – Jun. 16, ‘09
2. BlogAdda’s Tangy Tuesday Picks – Jun. 23, ‘09
3. BlogAdda’s Tangy Tuesday Picks – Mar. 31, ‘09

@sparxnet
ROFL – Seen in today’s Mid-day: “StatuEtory Warning: You are now entering UP”

@manish_kayal
I love this fact “Economics, it is said, is a means of telling people things that they already know in a language they don’t understand” LOL

@gauravmanik
Had dilemma last night. Bandra Worli SeaLink vs Rakhi Sawant swayamvar: watch the laser show or the who-lays-her show! #rofl

@hiyer
haha. And hindi tv crap asked me – kya aap mard jaisa mehsoos karte hai. I replied – choo ke dekh lo

@suku06
Kambakkht Ishq is so bad that it makes Tashan look like Mother India!……………………………………………

@renu19
This just cracked me up! A profs email wrote “I’m a fellow faulty member” instead of “faculty”… LOLOL Ahh, spell-checkers….

@harisadu
LMAO at a candidate’s resume which says: “Here are my qualifications for you to overlook.”

Thanks to @manan and @ashumittal for sending us this pictures

@funnyoneliners
Menstruation, menopause, mental breakdowns… Ever notice how many women’s problems begin with men?

@kuttyedathi
My 4 yr old daughter : “I have my own bed ? My brother Harry has his own too. But why mommy & daddy sleep on same bed ? ”

@oldmonkmgm
Rakhi ka swayamvar will be followed by Rakhi ka Divorce i am pretty sure..LOL’ .

@tikuli
What did the triangle say to the circle? You’re so pointless.            …    …       ..

@thakkar
Jab heart hi ho gaya broke … Hum kyon karein superpoke…. #fb                   .                        .              .

@doom_prophet
Heaven applauds India’s amendment of the gay law. I hear an angelic choir singing “Kabhi pussy, kabhi bum”   .                    .                        .

@priyaflorence
Sexy Unix Commands: date; unzip; touch; strip; finger; mount; gasp; yes; uptime;

@Viveksingh
Bumper Sticker on a car in Bandra: Back off! I’m not that kind of car. ………………………………………….

@meerasapra
What did the frog order at McDonalds? French Flies and Diet Croak……………………..

By the way, hope you have not missed reading the interview which has created ripples in the Indian Blogosphere. Skip over to read interview with Indyeah. Coming back, if you come across any tweet which you think will bring a smile into a face or perk someone up, do tip us @blogadda or Contact us. You never know, you may end up winning a goodie from Radio One 94.3 and get featured in Malini’s show ‘Malini till Midnight’.

Related posts:

1. Perky Tweets – Jun. 29, ‘09
2. Perky Tweets – Jun. 22, ‘09
3. Radio One and BlogAdda get together for more fun!

• Who : Tikuli
  What : Down with Section377 (IPC): Equality For ALL
  Spicy : Tikuli’s post about Section377 has been recommended to us by dmanji using the contact form. This post was posted before the landmark HC judgement and states the reasons as to why the rule needs to be repelled. A must read for those who believe the same.

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• Who : Sanjukta
  What : Bangalore Queer Pride March’09: A Report
  Spicy : Sanjukta in this Spicy Pick talks about the Bangalore Queer Pride March. She talks about her experience as a part of this march. If you missed being part of this march, read this post to find out what you have missed

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• Who : Vipul Grover
  What : A Curious Case of Corruption
  Spicy : A post which talks about Corruption using a fictional story as a backdrop. A very thought provoking post that makes us wonder if we have accepted corruption as a part and parcel of our daily lives. A question we all need to answer.
  

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• Who : Ankur Banerjee
  What : Why doing away with class 10th Board exams makes no sense at all
  Spicy : Kapil Sibal, the education minister has announced a plan for education reforms plan in  India. One of his suggestions is the scrapping of he 10th board exams. Many people have varied views to it. Ankur has posted his views and makes a lot of sense. Do you agree with him? Let him know.

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• Who : Vidisha for Writer Lounge
  What : I am with you Daddy
  Spicy : Vidisha in her 55 word post conveys the message beautifully. A touching post and makes us realize that we don’t need to write long stories to convey something which can be done in 55 words as well

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• Who : Gunmeen Sachdeva
  What : STAND UP FOR YOURSELF!!!!!!
  Spicy : Just Arrived!! This post by Gunmeen has been tipped to us by a member of BlogAdda team and it was so good that we included this. This is  a post which is a must read for everyone and a post which makes us realize that even in educated societies, female infanticide and female genocide exists. This post has many questions which needs an answer!! A must read for everyone.

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We continue to serve you the best Indian Blog Posts week after week. Hope you are enjoying them .

If you come across any interesting post and want to share, you can tip us on Twitter or contact us here and we will credit you for the selected pick.  Hope you have not missed reading the Interview with Indyeah Part 1 and Part 2 which is creating ripples at Indian blogosphere. An interview you cannot afford to miss reading!!

Related posts:

1. BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks – Apr. 4, ‘09
2. BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks – May. 9, ‘09
3. BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks

Q: What do you find to be the most gratifying aspect of blogging?

A: What I absolutely and completely love about blogging is that we have a voice. We count. Yes, we used to and still have these very same discussions/conversations/debates in our drawing rooms,  in our colleges/offices and cafes…. but it is here in the blogworld  that one finds so many more like minded people.

When you see that you are not the only one who is fuming when girls are attacked in broad daylight , that you are not the only one feeling helpless and full of rage all at once. That there are others who too feel the same and are willing to do something about it.

When you can keep differences aside and come together to celebrate the new era of  stability, accountability and no more blackmail.

When you share tears, laughter and plain nonsensical fun with friends whom you seem to have known forever.

This and more.. much moré is why I blog. The interactions, the camaraderie ..

Interacting with other bloggers/non-bloggers. It is a fascinating journey. And that’s saying something.

I blog because its comforting to know that I am not alone in my fears and in my dreams. That there are others who share so many of the same with me.

I blog simply because I need affirmation that humanity is alive and kicking.

Q: How, in general, would you rate the quality of Indian blogs? Share your favourite five blogs.

A: I have found Indian blogs to be very diverse as far as the range of topics is concerned. Though I cannot claim to know all the Indian blogs or even the majority of them, but the few I do read make me believe that  Indian bloggers write about a wide range of issues. Be  it an Indian issue or a global one. Nothing escapes their scrutiny and they switch effortlessly between different topics.

To list my favourite five blogs would be very tough .

I would like to name the group blog NGI or No Gender Inequality that is the result of the efforts of the  four of us – Solilo, Ushus and IHM and me.

It is still a fledgling blog. We are taking baby steps as of now. We don’t have any goal as such. The blog simply is.

It is a space where others can share their stories about women. And so many have already shared their stories about the women in their lives. A mother, a wife, a daughter, or simply a woman whom they admire. One of the stories that was shared by a reader and that moved me and many others was this one.

The fact that there are three very strong women associated with this venture has helped us a lot. Usha’s,  Solilo’s and IHM’s blogs are the next three that I would like to share.

You already know IHM. A lady who writes passionately and very clearly about what she believes in. Her interview on BlogAdda also reflected her clear thinking. She is the passion behind NGI. She is the one whose blog got us all together, Usha , Solilo and I. We met for the first time on IHM’s blog. A lady whom I love, respect and admire. Her Blog is called The life and times of an Indian Homemaker (Latest post: What do ‘Modest’ women have that their ‘Immodest’ sisters don’t..)

Usha or whom I call Ushus fondly is a darling. She  is a magician with words. She weaves words beautifully. They dance for her I think.

I have never been very interested in contemporary poetry as such. Hers is the only poetry blog that has me hooked. Her other blog Overdrive is a place of delight as well. She writes with a passion that delights the heart. She is the soul behind NGI or No gender Equality. Her enthusiasm is infectious. Her sheer zest for learning is something I envy. Her poetry blog is called A Quest, While her other equally delightful blog is called Overdrive. (Latest post: For the Love of Music- Part II)

Solilo is the youngest amongst the three. A young lady who is a dear friend also by now. She is the brains behind NGI. It was her idea that got all four  of us together. Its her zeal that ensures that we keep experimenting with new ideas. A creative soul this lady is. From coming up with the idea of  NGI to designing the banner, she has been an integral part of it all. She writes with a conciseness thats admirable and hers is the voice of reason and sanity.

Her blog is called Soliloquies of an Opinionated mind. (Latest post: Monsoon in Kerala – a nostalgia..)

So there it is. Five blogs that I love

Do hop over to NGI as well as the blogs of these three bloggers.

Q: One of the posts we loved at your blog is about freedom! With freedom comes responsibilties. Do you think Indians have devalued the word freedom and have drifted away from the true meaning of it?

A: A quote that sums up the issue for me.

The fact, in short, is that freedom, to be meaningful in an organized society must consist of an amalgam of hierarchy of freedoms and restraints.

~ Samuel Hendel

Absolute freedom can exist in ideal societies. Utopian societies. Since we are not there yet, I would say that let’s handle the freedom we have been blessed with in a more responsible and mature manner.

In India we love to say that we have freedom of expression. Yes, we do. But we express our freedom in the most absurd ways possible.

Didn’t get to give your exams? Burn a bus or two. Didn’t get the job you wanted? All 3o of you? Go break windowpanes and oh yes burn the vehicles too. You see – burning /smashing/looting is the only way we seem to express ourselves.

And whats more the state unofficially sanctions it by turning a blind eye to such incidents. There should be severe punishments for such offences. Make the vandals pay. That doesn’t seem to happen ever. Why cant we realise that its our collective property that we are destroying with such relish?

That said, we also have another side to the freedom issue. The recent SC ruling where the Honourable court refused to quash criminal complaint against a blogger lays bare the truth about how ‘free’ we exactly are.

When the freedom to express oneself is held to ransom by criminals or those who certainly seem like one (in this case the party that slapped the case on this particular blogger) then one can only begin to imagine what India will be like a few decades down the line.

India is a country of extremes. It is almost  as if we know no in-betweens and don’t even want to. We swing to and fro constantly between absolute freedom of expression and very less in some cases .

The only way forward is to find a balance. But the balance has to be found by us. Rules will not help if the will to follow them is absent.

Q: You have described about India in such a beautiful way! What one thing about India would you like to change, not change and why?

A: Thank you so much for the kind words.  India is indeed a beautiful country. It’s her people that give her heartache at times.

One thing that I would love to change about India or rather Indians  is our petty mentality. I know I might get a lot of brickbats for this but I really, REALLY believe that we are a VERY racist country. If racism means being prejudiced, biased and oppressive then we are the top contenders for the title.

We even have regional racialism (if there is such a  word) where we have now started looking at  and judging people depending upon which particular region of India they belong to.

The marathi manoos issue bugs me. Uptil now I had only heard and read about how people from Tamil Nadu were targetted a few decades back. The victims may have changed but the script remains the same. Tomorrow it could be someone else. Some other group.

The same victims could turn into aggressors. Such is India And Indians. This is us. The ugliest side of us.

And this is what absolutely baffles me. The fact that Indians have derogatory names for each other on the basis of region/facial features and what not  makes me fume and  makes me despondent in the same breath.

Ghati, chinky, bhaiyya, madrasi the list is endless and it bothers me like hell!

Caste based discrimination. Something all of us know about. The plight of the lower castes is pathetic in India even today.

Having said that let me also say that we are also the top contenders for reverse racialism.

SO what happens between this racialism and reverse racialism?

Petty feelings thrive, racialism becomes a part of our DNA, we love to club ourselves as part of X, Y, Z group.

As long as there is someone to hate we feel secure. Also if someone could come up with a ghutti (tonic ) to cure us of our infamous ‘chalta hai’ attitude we would be deeply, eternally, forever grateful.

What I would not ever change is the oft repeated but very important concept of ‘Unity in Diversity.’

I don’t ever wish to see an India where we have a uniform language, a uniform dress, a uniform cuisine. It has become a cliché I know, but unity in diversity is the only way India can work. This is the only way this country can survive and prosper. To even think of anything else would be folly. Like I said somewhere,  India is in my blood. It has seeped in too deep for me to think about anything else or be anything else. Not region, cuisine or language per se but just India.

India is an idea. This idea cannot be defined or written down to a T. So long as the idea remains in our hearts and in the hearts of little ones, India will endure.

Q: If you could vacation anywhere in the world expense-free, where would you go and why?

A: I would love to go to Africa. Why? Simply because I want to experience the land of Elsa for myself. I have been fascinated by this strange and almost mystical land where history has been passed down orally and where they say time stands still. Just as they say that India seeps into the blood before one even knows it, so they say too about Africa. So the continent is on my top priority list whenever I do travel around the world.

Q: Do you earn revenue through your blog? How does one go about it?

A: No, I don’t. And to be honest the idea doesn’t appeal to me.

Q: What is your advice to someone who wants to start a blog?

A: Well not advice as such but yes write honestly from the heart and that should work. No matter what you want to write about, honesty should be the key factor. Because with all the archives of your posts, as well as the discussions, debates, the comments that you reply to, comments that you leave at other blogs.. with all of these merely a click away.. the best and infact the only way is to be honest. If you are not, believe me you will be found out sooner or later.

Write from the heart, write honestly, write what you feel strongly about and nothing else is required. You dont have to be a good writer or a Shakespeare.. no none of that… just a passionate one and an honest one.

Q: Let’s conclude off with a few favorites.

Color: Vibrant colors

Movie: Cry Freedom and well I cant be done with just one movie

Lagaan (do spare a thought for this cricket buff please)

Before Sunrise, Before Sunset .The ease with which the characters in both the movies converse is breathtaking.

TV Show: Would have to say none as such. They all slide into mediocrity somewhere down the line.

Book: This is planned torture!

I simply cannot name any one. Keep a track of my book posts (which I now will have to write *sigh*) and that should be answer enough

Time of Day: Night time is the most relaxing. Its almost a spiritual experience. The whole world is in a deep slumber and it seems as if you are the only human being in perhaps the entire world who is keeping vigil.

Watching, waiting, thinking…

Night forces one to come face to face with thoughts . Thoughts that one had been running from in the light of day. The night seems gentle and calm and does not seem to judge. That sounds crazy but there it is.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to participate in this feature of BlogAdda. Also a big thank you to the team at Blog Adda for actually taking the time to go through the posts and coming up with relevant questions. This attention to detail made this interview a thought provoking experience and one that I really enjoyed.
Keep going guys!

It was a pleasure interviewing you Indyeah! We are sure our readers would have loved to have more than 2 two parts of it . Do let us know your feedback on the anything as it is very important for us. Shout at Indyeah’s profile at BlogAdda and visit her Blog to read more posts. Do not miss reading the first part of the interview if you haven’t done as yet.

Related posts:

1. Interview with Indyeah – Part 1
2. Interview with Indian Homemaker
3. Interview With IdeaSmith of ‘The IdeaSmithy’

• Who : Karmasura
  What : Kya mere dost hai kahi??
  Tangy: Our first Tangy Tuesday Pick for this week starts with a wonderful poem by Karmasura. A poem about friends and we are sure all of you can relate to it

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• Who : Indrayani aka, Indi!
  What : I owe you my cool…..
  Tangy : Indrayani has posted her tribute to MJ . ‘You remind me of my very young days when I was a kid and growing up in India, my “cool thing” was that I was a  “Michael Jackson fan”!’. This line from her post says it all . A must read for all the MJ fans

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• Who : Kokonad
  What : Love spicy food, eh?
  Tangy : ‘This post is dedicated to all those people who, in order to impress the gentler sex, will overload their dish with “extra hot” for their order in a restaurant’ says Kokonad! Do we need to say anything more . A must read!!

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• Who : Krish Ashok
  What : Snacks on a plane
  Tangy : We have Krish Ashok at his witty and humorous best again after his humorous interview. In this post he speaks about his travails from Chennai to Canada and back and the situations he came across narrated at his witty best . A ROFL post!

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• Who : Nal
  What : The A380 experience
  Tangy : What a coincidence! Krish Ashok pens his experience from Chennai to Canada and Nal here pen about the experience of the journey from Canada to Chennai. Nal has taken some photos and described the A 380 beautifully. Do read it.

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• Who : Anubha
  What : Bombay Tweets
  Tangy : What are the things which when said or relate are unique to Mumbai? Anubha in this very well compiled post has collected all the slangs and things which are unique to Mumbai. A must read for all the Mumbaities and for those who wanna get accustomed to Mumbai.

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• Who : Sachin Khosla
  What : Optimizing or speeding up your webpages – part 1
  Tangy : A post for every webpage owner. Sachin gives some very informative tips on how to optimize your webpage. It takes in a lot of effort in optimizing a webpage and Sachin’s post makes the job a bit easy

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Hope you enjoyed reading our Spicy Saturday Picks and the Perky tweets.  If you have any interesting posts or tweets to share with us, contact us or you can tip us on twitter using ‘Tip @blogadda’ along with the link and we will credit you for that.

We also have Part 2 of  Indyeah’s interview coming up this week. Be geared up. If you still haven’t read the first part. Do not miss it. Do not miss reading the Perky Tweets which are read out by Malini on her show ‘Malini till Midnight’ every Monday at 9 pm on Radio One. Do tune in

Related posts:

1. Radio One and BlogAdda get together for more fun!
2. BlogAdda’s Tangy Tuesday Picks – May. 12, ‘09
3. BlogAdda’s Tangy Tuesday Picks – Jun. 16, ‘09

@anubha007
When while giving directions you say “Right/ Left MARO aur wahan pe ek bridge GIREGA” LOL #bombay

@sushmeet
LOL Santa : I tried your number so many times, it always said ‘Switched Off’!Banta : Nahi Pape, it’s my HELLO TUNE! #joke

@ashokbanker
Replace the M in monsoon with G you get GONSOON. Which is what the Indian Monsoon is threatening to do this year.

@vishwaskasat
Women will never be as successful as men because they have no wives to advise them.

@tenalirama
Remembering Shiney- Why is Shiney Ahuja a HARD core Swadeshi? He likes Maid in India

@vishalgondal
We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and washing soap is made from real lemons

@robin_thomas
Just because you are a character doesn’t mean that you have character. #pulpfiction

@ruchikamehra
Was chilling outside. rain. Stayed till i finished. Almost reached the elevator, pretty soaked. Suddenly remembered the umbrella in my bag!

@ashumittal
IMHO a whole new category of biggest losers has been invented: Men who are participating in Rakhi ka swayamvar.

@Sloth13
Air conditioner: My primary incentive for coming to office these days

@Kedar
Going by the success of the show, NDTV imagine could next year launch “Rakhi ka Swayamvar Seaon 2″. *lol*

@rohit11
Roti, Kapda, Makaan, Bijli, Pani, Internet ( aur ab AC bhi, woh har jagah )

@pappe_it_is
Everything on your resume was lies. I like that. Welcome to sales.                                 .

@aawra
What happens after the lion roars… ?? “tom and jerry” starts ……             …    …       ..

@sakthidharan
Saif is looking for the domain ibebo.com                    .                        .              .

@pluggdin
If you win all the arguments, you must be the CEO!    .                    .                        .

The laugh riot doesn’t end here. Skip over here to read interview with Indyeah. Coming back, if you come across any tweet which you think will bring a smile into a face or perk someone up, do tip us @blogadda or Contact us. You never know, you may end up winning a goodie from Radio One 94.3 and get featured in Malini’s show ‘Malini till Midnight’. Mumbaivaasiyon after the inauguration of the Bandra Worli Sealink , tune in to Radio one 94.3 FM tonight at 9 pm while travelling back.

Related posts:

1. Perky Tweets – Jul. 06, ‘09
2. Perky Tweets – Jun. 22, ‘09
3. Radio One and BlogAdda get together for more fun!

• Who : Vikram Karve
  What : The meaning of Love
  Spicy :  The first spicy pick for the week is this short story beautifully written by Vikram Karve. Love has no age and realization of it comes in different times in life. This post epitomes the fact that we may not realize that love may be found in our own backyard . A must read!

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• Who : Greatbong
  What : The Greatest. Period.
  Spicy : Greatbong pens a tribute to one of the greatest musicians of all time. A must read for all the Micheal Jackson fans and may his soul Rest In Peace.

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• Who : Ashwathy
  What : My very first marriage proposal from the UK
  Spicy : Imagine this – You alongwith your group of friends are at a restaurant and having dinner. Out of the blue you get a marriage proposal ! This is what happened to Ashwathy and she shares her thoughts about it. A post you cannot miss! Thanks to Varun who tipped us this post using the contact form
  

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• Who : Shilpa Garg
  What : My New Aspiration. A Conversation With My Inner Self
  Spicy : A post where Shilpa talks to her inner self ! A humourous post is all we can say and a must read

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• Who : Paroma Ray
  What : On my wedding
  Spicy : Congratulations from the BlogAdda team to Paroma and we wish a you a happy married life ! Paroma in this post talks about her marriage and the events before and after her marriage. Have you experienced the same?

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We come up with some amazing posts every week written by super bloggers. Hope you are enjoying reading them.

If you come across any interesting post and want to share, you can tip us on Twitter or contact us here and we will credit you for the selected pick. Don’t miss reading the Interview with Indyeah! She is one amazing person. You cannot afford to miss it

Related posts:

1. BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks – Feb. 21, ‘09
2. BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks – Jun. 19, ‘09
3. BlogAdda’s Spicy Saturday Picks