Thinking about

In Conversation with Jane McCulloch, Author, Three Lives series

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Wed, 27 Apr 2016 18:05:00 +0000

It’s time to feature another debut author on the blog. I love featuring interviews with new authors because it gives people the opportunity to learn from others who have had success in their life journeys.

Featuring today are the edited excerpts of my interview with Jane McCulloch, the author of Three Lives Trilogy. Parallel Lines is the first volume in the series.

How did you begin writing? Did you intend to become an author, or is there any other reason?
I began writing at a very early age. At first, it was poems, then short stories and by the time I was at boarding school I was writing plays and sketches. My original intention was to become an actress and I went to a London Drama School. I married a theatre director and he steered me into writing for the professional theatre. I began by writing biographical dramas and after that, I wrote a book and lyrics for two musicals, an adaptation of “The Pilgrim’s Progress” and one based on the life of “Buster Keaton”. I also wrote librettos for operas and various lyrics for songs. It wasn’t until much later that I decided to write novels.

Tell us about your book. How would you describe your work to someone?
'Parallel Lines' is the most personal and autobiographical of all the books I have written. A great deal of it is based on my own experience. The theory - of our lives running in parallel - struck me a long time ago and it was pleasing to be able to explore this further. I used the psychiatrist so that the heroine, Celia,could explain this theory with flashbacks to the past and comparisons with her present life. I think my work could be put in the category of ‘Family Saga’. I like to explore the issues of loneliness and isolation, and tension within families and their small circle.

What brought you to write this book? Where’d you get the idea?
I had been thinking about this book for a very long time – and wanted it to be the first book in a trilogy so that I could fully develop my three main characters. I had made a rough outline years ago and put it away then. I started on the re-writes only three years back.

What was the hardest part of writing this book? How do you develop your plots and characters?
I think the hardest part was making the device I had chosen for 'Parallel Lines' work, using the flashbacks and then bringing it back to the present. Once I had the outline, the plots seemed to develop quite easily. I think I am more interested in characters, particularly women, than pacey action.

What were the challenges in finishing your book?
The main challenge was making the characters believable. I had to do some research on the psychiatrist and based him loosely on a well-known doctor whom I had seen once. Another challenge was changing my writing style for theatre to fiction. The technique is completely different and I had to work very hard at this.

What was your favourite part to write and why?
I think my favourite part is Celia’s bid for freedom, towards the end after her final confrontation with George. It showed bravery and with my background in a theatre it lent itself to plenty of drama!

What’s more important to you – the characters or plot?
I honestly think the characters are more important to me. But obviously, there has to be a plot in order to keep the readers’ interested.

Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp?
Not really a message – but I do want people to realise that there can be huge problems with isolation and loneliness, even within a family situation, whether it be a wife or a child. I hope I have also brought out a hatred for bullying – which so often goes unseen and unnoticed. I also believe that it is necessary not to have constraints in a family situation but recognise that everyone needs their own space and freedom.

What are you reading right now? Are there any authors that you would name as influences?
Funnily enough, I have gone back to reading “War and Peace” which I hadn’t read since I was about fifteen. Although there are long narrative passages, particularly in the sections about the war, the dialogue is brilliant and so contemporary. I always like John le Carre and there are many other authors I admire, among them the late and wonderful Elizabeth Jane Howard and of course Nancy Mitford. I also can’t wait for the next Hilary Mandel. I love writing which is easily readable and moves fairly fast. Long descriptive passages mean I start skipping!

How hard is it to establish and maintain a career in fiction writing? Do you have any advice for other writers?
That is a difficult question as I have only recently embarked on a career in fiction writing. As I am self-publishing, the hardest part for me has been marketing my books and finding my audience. My advice to other writers of fiction is probably to start younger and not wait until you are in your seventies! However, I do have a wealth of experience to call on which must be some help in the writing of the character.

What's next for you? What are you working on now?
I just want people to enjoy reading the books and to find them enriching in some way. I would love to have feedback and am always open to answering any questions.

About the Series:
In the 1970s, beautiful but unhappy Celia Roxby Smith reaches a crisis in her life and seeks help from a famous psychiatrist. During her intense sessions, she reveals a painful past that includes a bleak childhood in the postwar fifties, neglect from her parents at home in Oxford, and constant bullying received while at boarding school.

Now Celia is in her thirties and finds herself in a tragic and loveless marriage that resembles the same one her parents had. She sees frightening parallels between the past and present events of her life and is desperate to break away from her abusive and controlling husband. With the help of her psychiatrist and her new lover, she takes the first steps toward freedom and independence. But a shocking turn of events changes everything and leaves more questions than answers.

A little bit more about Jane:
She has worked as a writer, playwright,librettist and theatre and opera director. She also published an anthology of poems and two works for children.
You can also read her views about various issues at her blog.

More info about the series can be found here.

In Conversation with Penni Mannas Diefendorf, Author, Core of Steel series

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 20:19:00 +0000

I love featuring interviews on this blog because it gives people the opportunity to learn from others who have had success in their life journeys.

This interview is with Penni Mannas Diefendorf, author of the Core of Steel series and Founder & Director of truthredux.com, an online community and repository of ideas and strategies to live life at your highest potential.

How did you begin writing? Did you intend to become an author, or is there any other reason?

I don’t know that there was ever a point where I “began” writing, I just fell into the way of it because I love to write. It is an outlet, a way of clarifying my thoughts to myself and a supremely satisfying form of catharsis. For that reason, I have actually never pursued a “writing” career because writing was too precious to me to *work* at it or with it. Having said that, in most of my jobs, I managed to introduce a writing component in the mix somewhere. So, no, I would say, I did not intend to become an author, it was a happy synchronicity.

Tell us about your books. How would you describe your work to someone?

The books and the series are about two things: truth and consciousness, the latter of which is simply the truth about you. How I describe my work is summed up by the tagline on my site, which is “Be your own guru.” We all are, in fact, the expert on our own lives and life direction, but we create immense challenges for ourselves by subordinating that expertise to others’ opinions, strictures and structures.

What brought you to write this series? Where’d you get the idea?

An unhappy confluence of personal and global situations brought it forcibly to my attention that truth and reality were highly disposable commodities in the world we live in. An idea and practice that continues to wreak havoc in the lives and destiny of many. Most of us seem to have developed a high tolerance for garden-variety lies and deception, such that we consider it “normal” or par for the course to be deceived. The series is intended to wake people up to the fact that it [untruth / illusion] is far from normal and is hijacking all of our lives on the macro and micro levels, making challenge and stress seem a natural part of life when they are not. Struggle is optional and entirely unnecessary.

The idea is actually my life philosophy. I live my life this way and am vaguely astonished that truth and unique convictions are not the norm. It is my mission in life now to get people to see that they already have the power within themselves to never have to struggle through life.

What was the hardest part of writing this series? What were the challenges in finishing your book?

None. I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It brought together all the things I love to do most.

The books came out of the workshop I developed for all the above purposes called “Creating Capable Consciousness” so what I wanted to communicate was already organised in my head. Writing and completing each book was merely the exercise of getting it all out in black and white (I almost said on paper!)

What was your favourite part to write and why?

I don’t know that I had any favourite part. I daresay that is because I enjoy the whole process of writing. I love language and I love words. I find it nourishing to encapsulate ideas in written form, so in that sense, every part was a favourite part.:D

Is there a message in your novel that you hope readers will grasp?

Yes. That they are more powerful than they give themselves credit for. Powerful and unique and they should access that, strengthen it and celebrate it. The sooner, the better.

What are you reading right now? Are there any authors that you would name as influences?

I am re-reading one of my favourite Georgette Heyers – The Grand Sophy. I love H. H. Munro, G. B. Shaw, Oscar Wilde for their philosophies, takes on the world and writing styles. For authors with pertinent perspectives for this book series (Core of Steel series), I have referenced Eckhart Tolle (The Power of Now) and David R. Hawkins (Power vs. Force) in the books.

How hard is it to establish and maintain a career in writing? Do you have any advice for other writers?

I couldn’t say because I haven’t had a career in writing per se. But I would highly recommend writing for pleasure, writing about things that are personally meaningful – it makes the process and time taken, enjoyable and sustainable – which is fundamental for success in any career really.

If undertaking a sizable project like a book, screenplay etc, then I would strongly advise making an outline, defining and describing the core concepts and characters to yourself and frontloading research along the way, so that when you sit down to write, the words and scenes flow naturally and cohesively. I once read that JK Rowling had written all seven Harry Potter books in her head before she started. And I can readily believe that because the narrative flow is so seamless. It is a joy to write like that and even more of a joy for readers to read.

What's next for you? What are you working on now?

I have just finished the last book in the series “Resilience” which will be released at the end of Jan 2016. I don’t have plans for any more books, but one never knows :)

Any last thoughts for our readers?

Yes. Don’t ever be brought to believe that life is meant to be an unending struggle. Life is meant to be enjoyed and lived fully. If we can all find ways to do that, this world will be an entirely different place. That for me, is the point of the whole exercise!

A little bit more about Penni:

Penni currently resides in Hong Kong, which is a über splendid place to be, with her husband, who is a über splendid fellow.
She pioneers consciousness as a practical way of being: not live your life and eventually become conscious, but become conscious and truly live your life. She shares strategies and insights on youtube/truthredux

More info about the series can be found here.

My Not-to-do-list this new year!

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 11:19:00 +0000

I was super thrilled to read this week’s Blogadda WOW prompt – ‘It’s Not My Resolution’, simply because this is unlike what most people are doing, their so-called 'Things-to-do-from-2016' lists.

Another major way why I simply loved the idea of this week's WOW prompt is because there are very few people who actually know what they want, and like me know what all they don't want to do. We all might have our major goals in life, but the small things which matter the most remain unclear.

So without further ado, here's the list of things that I will not do from 2016, not in any particular order:

I will not start a diet. Exercise may be irregular but my love for food will always remain the priority, esp. junk food :p

Also, I will not join a gym, I exercise better in outdoor places anyway, without any cost and trouble to my beloved nose for lack of deo!

I will also not give up any of my guilty pleasures and continue binging on food, books, shows, movies n music!

Talking about music, I will not give up on my kind of twerking while listening to stupid Bollywood songs :p

Even though I don't think I am a people pleaser, but I will most certainly not give up my sarcasm!

I will not let new slang words and phrases ruin my vocabulary! Even though there are certain aspects to it that are fun.

I will not stop criticising and complaining about Candy Crush players and their requests.

I will not learn to draw! I love my stick-figures since I refuse to be one in real life, I will stick them on paper!

I will not buy the latest iPhone!

And for all those extroverts out there, who have made their resolutions to meet one new person every day, I will not meet more people than absolutely required. Dude, I have enough trouble keeping up with the people that I know already, why would I want to extend my misery!!

I will not get more cultured or sophisticated! I like my raucous laugh!!

Also taking into account the recent movie releases and the downward spiral of mainstream cinema, I have decided I will not go to any more movies!! (I'll just download them :p)

For all those OCD'ed people around me, I will not get more organised. I like my chaos.

I will not learn to cook! Why should I make others suffer?

And even though I might be one of those who are desperately in need to see a shrink, I will not go to a psychiatrist, no matter how many times people tell me to!

And since it's my nature, not to mention my personality, I will not stop procrastinating things! (Afterthought - My family's not gonna be happy about this one! :p)

I will not start another hobby. I can barely keep up with the ones I already have!

I will not read Non-fiction. I love fiction, also, non-fiction is just way too real for me.

And most importantly I will not set a budget. It's a different fun altogether to realise you're completely broke and crib about how stupid you are and little you get paid.

And finally, I will not get a makeover. I like myself the way I am - I am awesome after all!!

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

New Year ... New beginnings ..

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 18:53:00 +0000

With the start of another year comes another list of new year resolutions, new wishes, different dreams and hopes. Some might be hoping to start fresh this year, or some like me would just like to carry on our already amazing journey of life, no matter what everyone's thinking, I wish everyone a very happy and prosperous new year.

The past year might have been good for you or you might have gone through some tough times. New relationships were formed and some people were lost or just simply taken away from us. And even though difficult moments and choices are part of everyone's life, it's up to us to keep our outlook positive and keep the hope alive.

So, on this first day of the year, I wish everyone a very happy and prosperous new year, more aptly put through the following Neil Gaiman quote.

And some more random thoughts, for days when optimism just isn't enough...

And the deeper meaning behind this is

Understand the importance of you

And my absolute favorite!

To report or not – That is the question.

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 11:48:00 +0000

The year before last, I was in Mumbai and had gone to a completely new area, to interview police constables for a college assignment. (There has to be irony in here somewhere!) After, and since it was late and both my friend and I had more than our share of work to do, my friend dropped me to the nearest local station. Since the major part of the assignment was done, (the interview), I was much more relaxed than I should have been, and as usual, I put on my earphones and started listening to music, rather loudly I guess. A few minutes later I saw two elder females pointing and whispering to something behind me, bringing me back to “reality”. A man was standing there, gradually coming nearer or seemed like it, at least, so obviously, I decided to move away, and that was when I realised he was really drunk and saw that his trouser was open (read unzipped)!

Like most females, even I have been eve teased, cat-called, been a victim (of attempts) to public groping and whatnot. Anyway, the open pant thing was a first for me and for two minutes I didn’t even know what to do! Luckily for me, just then, a police constable was passing by and saw the whole incident and quickly hit him 3-4 times with his 'lathi' before asking me if I was alright. The local train pulled in by then and after telling him I was fine, I got on and left, wondering the entire way about what it was that I should have done.

When I got home, I talked to a friend about it and realised that it was the closest railway station to the red light district of Mumbai, and such incidents had happened there before.

Now to clarify as to why I didn’t go to the police station to file a report against him, I guess I was just too scared, not of the man, but the police, always have been, partly because of my past and partly because somewhere I guess I was worried that I might be blamed, it's happened before after all, why would it have been any different than any other time? Even my friend had started to scold me for being there, alone and that too at that late an hour!

Anyway, to talk about the bigger issue at hand, sexual abuse, even though highlighted the maximum through Delhi media, is a worldwide issue. I don’t know if the assaults are increasing day-by-day or the media is highlighting such cases the most, (maybe it’s both), but the fact remains that it is happening all around us, every day.

Another fact of the matter is that most of the crimes go unreported. There are countless reasons for not reporting such crimes, maybe because of the hassle involved or the victim fears negative publicity or maybe it’s the lack of support from victim's friends and family, or it’s just that people are unaware of basic rights in such cases.

Whatever the case maybe, it is said that reporting sexual violence generates awareness about such situations and helps in making stricter laws for better protection. However, I don’t believe that anyone will report a case of sexual abuse only for this purpose. Reporting a crime, any crime, no matter how difficult it might be, will eventually lead to self-empowerment, and bring about confidence and freedom which can only come by ascertaining one's rights. So my advice, report such cases for your own sake, that is if the sentence - if somebody had reported this man before, then this might not have happened to me - doesn't appeal to your sense of justice.

In an effort to educate and inform people of their basic rights, Amnesty International launched the #KnowYourRights campaign earlier this year and now they are scaling up this initiative, through the power of social media and asking bloggers to think of reasons as to why survivors of sexual violence should come forward to report the crime and not brush it under the carpet.

“I’m writing this blog post to support Amnesty International’s#KnowYourRights campaign at BlogAdda. You can also contribute to the cause by donating or spreading the word.”

To know more about it, do watch the following video.

The Mahabharata Quest: The Alexander Secret review

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 13:14:00 +0000

I had received The Mahabharata Quest: The Alexander by Christopher C. Doyle, as part of Blogadda’s review program but was unable to review at that time, and being forgetful (by nature) forgot about it till now. Anyway, being a firm believer in the ‘better late than never’ philosophy, here’s the review as promised! (My most sincere apologies to the Blogadda team for the extreme lateness in posting this review!)

Just to add, this is the second part of a series, after The Mahabharata Secret, and even if one hasn’t read the first part, it’s easy to start on this book directly without missing much, as the plot of the sequel has little to no dependency on its prequel.

So, to begin with here’s the book cover summary:

334 B.C.

Image Courtesy: Christopher C Doyle

Alexander the Great begins his conquest of the Persian Empire. But his plans for everlasting glory do not end there and the young king marches towards the Ends of the Earth - the lands of the Indus - on a secret quest. It will lead him to an ancient secret concealed in the myths of the Mahabharata; a secret that is powerful enough to transform him into a god.
Present Day
In Greece, the ancient tomb of a queen is discovered, a tomb that has been an enigma for over 2000 years.In New Delhi, the Intelligence Bureau discovers unexplained corpses in a hidden lab. Vijay Singh and his friends, now members of an elite task force, are sucked into a struggle with a powerful and ruthless enemy. In a deadly race against time, they will need to solve a riddle from antiquity that will lead them to encounter shocking secrets from the past; secrets that will reveal mystifying links between ancient history, the Mahabharata and the ancient enemy with diabolical plans for a future that will hold the world to ransom.
The Quest has just begun.

To begin this review however, lemme first explain the most important challenging part of writing a Historical-Thriller fiction, apart from actually writing it I guess, is maintaining the balance between the two genres, with sufficient research for the historical genre to retain its merit and an adequate pace, action and mystery in the plot to classify the book as a thriller. Being a lover of this genre, I feel that so far this has only been achieved by Dan Brown for most of his books and Ashwin Sanghi for Chanakya's Chant (mostly!).

For Mahabharata Quest: The Alexander Secret, Christopher Doyle has done a decent enough research I think, something which can also be visualised through the voice of the archaeologists when they contemplate their findings. Although I do feel a little uncertain about the historical segment of the book, especially the depiction of Alexander. In my limited knowledge of Alexander III, commonly known as Alexander the Great, I was under the impression that he is a really good Commander-in-Chief with a tactical mind, however here he’s shown a little uncouth, rude and offensive to even his own men, I hope that I am the only one with this confusion, for the sake of the author at least.

As far as the thriller qualities are concerned, the mystery seems to be rather easy, taking away any punch that might be anticipated or it might be just that I have read more than my fair share of thrillers.

Furthermore, the storyline also manages to explain the supernatural in a logical and scientific manner, a quality which I have come to love in this genre of historical thrillers.

And in its initial phase, it even created a hope to mark itself apart and not become another ‘Indian-ised’ Dan Brown work. But of course, some parts are a bit too much even for a thriller fiction, with Bollywood – defying logic – scenes.

Overall, the writing is closer to that of Amish or Ashwin Sanghi, with comparatively easy to understand language, a decent pace of events, and can be quite an interesting read for those who like suspense and would like to know about the Greek history.

Just as a side note, a teeny-tiny piece of advice to Indian authors, from a humble but avid reader, using different synonyms for simple words just creates the need to read with a dictionary alongside rather than interesting content.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Favorite Destinations for Kids in India

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 09:58:00 +0000

While planning a holiday with kids, there are a quite a few causes for worry. Not to mention, aspects that need to be taken into consideration like open spaces, activities which can be enjoyed by kids and the safety concerns shared by all parents. The vast topography of our country however, has myriad destinations covering from fun and adventure to education and arts, which are also children-friendly.

HolidayIQ, one of India's largest travel community and holidays recommendation engine, recently revealed the favourite destinations for kids up to 14 years of age, via 'HolidayIQ Insights: Favorite Destinations for Kids in India', based on the actual on-site user actions of travellers planning holidays with children.

Here’s the list of destinations that are a new favourite among kids in India. How many have you visited?

Ooty

HolidayIQ.com

Chocolates are sure to entice the young and the young at heart! Indulge your sweet tooth with truffles, fudges and marshmallows available at King Star Confectioners on Commercial Road. Let the little tyke indulge in mini-train and pony rides. An educational trip to the tea and botanical gardens and a live demo about honey gathering and bee keeping at the Honey & Bee Museum must be a part of your trip. Not to forget, make sure to take a boat ride on the famous Ooty lake.
What Kids Must Do: Chocolates at King Star and a boat ride at Ooty Lake.
How to Reach: Approximately 88 kilometres away, Coimbatore is the nearest domestic airport from Ooty which is well-connected with most of the Indian cities. The nearest railhead is Mettupalyam, 40 kilometres from Ooty.

Jaisalmer

HolidayIQ.com

Jaisalmer is like an open history book. Don’t miss a chance of walking your kids through historic tales of valour and visit Jaisalmer’s old forts and palaces! And then there are Jaisalmer’s local transport options – the elephants, camels and rickshaws. You can also camp in the Thar Desert and star gaze.
What Kids Must Do: Camel safari and star gazing in Jaisalmer
How to Reach: Jodhpur Airport is the closest domestic airport that is functional throughout the year. Jaisalmer is well connected with a wide network of trains covering most of the Indian cities like Delhi, Jodhpur, Jaipur and others.

Goa

HolidayIQ.com

Adventurous kids will love water sports – snorkeling, boat rides and parasailing! Or you could just flop on the beach under a palm tree while your children make sandcastles. Take them to Old Goa, which has beautiful churches, monuments & forts. Benaulim Beach, Mandrem Beach and Morkim Beach are famous for their soft sand & clean, shallow water.
What Kids Must Do: Water rides at Goa's beaches and a heritage tour of Old Goa
How to Reach: The Dabolim Airport lies just 29 kilometres from the state’s capital, Panjim. The two major railheads in Goa are Madgaon and Thivim, which are well connected by trains from all over the country.

HolidayIQ.com

Ajanta & Ellora
Walk them through the Ajanta-Ellora Caves - UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The caves are home to beautiful paintings, monuments and sculptures.
What Kids Must Do: Buy encyclopedias outside the caves and visit Siddharth Garden in Aurangabad
How to Reach: Currently Aurangabad is the nearest Air point for Ajanta. It can be reached from New Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay), international airport. Jalgaon is the best place to drop in for Ajanta if you like Rail journey.

Darjeeling
Think of Darjeeling and you can think of nothing but the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway or the Toy Train. Make sure that you take kids for a pony ride on Mall Road.

HolidayIQ.com

What Kids Must Do: Pony rides on Mall Road, a cable car & toy train ride. Visit the Garg World Amusement Park, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Observatory Hill, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Bengal Natural History Museum
How to Reach: Bagdogra Airport is the nearest air connection which is 96 kilometres away from Darjeeling. The DHR Toy Train service starts at New Jalpaiguri and will get you to Darjeeling at a speed no faster than 30 miles per hour. It takes 7 hours and halts at Batasia Loop from where passengers can take photographic shots of Mt. Kanchenjunga.

Gir National Park

HolidayIQ.com

Consider the Gir National Park for a quintessential wildlife experience. Spot the Asiatic lion in the wild. Hotels located close to the Park have activities that will keep kids busy. SasanGir is a great opportunity to reconnect with nature, hear the chirping of the birds, take a walk along natural streams and breathe in fresh air.
What Kids Must Do: A wildlife safari and nature walks
How to Reach: Closest airport to SasanGir Railway Station is Keshod Airport.

Shillong

HolidayIQ.com

Living root bridges, scenic surroundings as well as clean and fresh air to breathe in, Shillong is a place where you can let your kids truly enjoy a relaxed vacation. Shillong has many attractions children will love.
What Kids Must Do: Visit the Indian Airforce Museum and Lady Hydari Park
How to Reach: The nearest major airport and railway station is at Guwahati, which is nearly 120 km away from Shillong. Guwahati Airport is well connected to many major cities in India including Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata.

Auli

HolidayIQ.com

With a vast range of exciting adventure activities, Auli is a great place for skiing.
What Kids Must Do: Skiing in Auli. Government-certified operators at GMVN offer beginner courses.
How to Reach: The Jolly Grant Airport located in Dehradun is the nearest airport to Auli. It is at a distance of around 279 km from the hill station. It connects the place with several cities of the country.

Kaziranga

HolidayIQ.com

Atop an elephant or in jeep, embark on a family adventure! Drive through green grasslands and spot giant one-horned rhinos, myriad species of birds, elephants, wild water buffalos, and if you are destined to, the tiger! Do not forget to carry a pair of binoculars and watch in awe beautiful animals in the wild at Kaziranga National Park.
What Kids Must Do: An elephant safari at the Kaziranga National Park
How to Reach: Nearest airport is in Jorhat town, which is 96 km away from Kaziranga. Jorhat is connected to Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati by regular flights. The nearest railway station to Kaziranga is Furkating, which is 80 km away.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

HolidayIQ.com

The islands aren’t a world away, but the flight across the ocean, boat and ferry rides are nothing short of a fairytale. Diving and snorkeling to watch corals is a must-do. You can also take him for a ride on a glass bottom boat and let him take a closer look at the vast coral colonies.
What Kids Must Do: Glass bottom boat ride to see corals and underwater sea life
How to Reach: Port Blair is Andaman's major gateway which is well connected by air & sea while regular passenger ship services are available to Port Blair.

About HolidayIQ: With about 11 million members across cities, HolidayIQ one of the most popular holiday planning websites in India, powered entirely by reviews, photos, videos and other advice generated from these travelers. Above 70% vacations planned every month are on HolidayIQ through mobile devices.
HolidayIQ.com lists over 2000 tourism destinations & 50,000+ accommodation options (hotels, resorts, home-stays, jungle camps & serviced apartments) in India. All of which are bookable through over 1600 partnerships with leading online travel agencies like Makemytrip, Yatra and Expedia & offline players such as Thomas Cook, SOTC, etc.

Discovering the Joy of Togetherness with Kissan!

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 09:53:00 +0000

There are few times when advertisements, in the way of promoting their cause, are able to bring smiles to faces and make people realise the importance of families. ‘Kissanpur – Real Joy of Togetherness’, the new advertisement from Kissan, one of India’s FMCG forerunners by Hindustan Unilever, has managed to do just that!

The video focuses on giving parents a new idea of spending time with their kids as virtual social connections have taken over real ones. The idea here is sowing the seeds of bonding with the brand and to bring back its consumers the real joy in being together.

Emotionally stirring, the ad makes you go ‘aww’, making you miss the days when life was simple, when there weren’t that many cell-calls and e-mails to distract us from spending time with our families, when technology was still being developed. And though our lives have become much easier due to the advancements in technology, our existence outside the virtual world has considerably diminished. We wake up with our phones in hand, with e-mails and messages being our first greetings for the day, and only after them come our loved ones.

Technology has become a necessity and a way of life, but we have to prioritise, between our work and family, between social media and spending time with friends. After all, its not just about earning but for the reasons that we are motivated to earn!

Kissanpur, the initiative by Kissan, encourages children to participate in planting and growing tomatoes and thereby ensuring some quality time spent together with their loved ones. According to Kissan, the campaign not only helped build natural experiences but also enhanced the brand’s ‘real’ credentials. The main intention of the campaign was to let their consumers know about the authenticity of the Kissan products and to inform that they are made from 100% real fruits and tomatoes.

Supported by the website http://www.kissanpur.com/, the ad film ties up very well with the digital initiatives, where anyone can share their personal stories or take part in the contests or play virtual games on the site. Apart from buying the tomato seeds online, and a guide to growing tomatoes, one can also earn points by registering at the site and taking active part in the campaign.

Kissan has incentivised all activities to encourage more parents and kids, esp. with the Kissanpur Little Hero contest. The top scorers – “Kissanpur’s Little Heroes” will get featured on the brand’s ketchup bottles and thereby further amplifying the joy of growing tomatoes in your garden with the possibility of having their child’s picture on a Kissan ketchup bottle!

For more details, do visit their website http://www.kissanpur.com/, and take part in this amazing campaign, after all planting something never hurt anyone, did it?

In Conversation with Surekha Narain, Founder, Delhi Metro Walks

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 08:16:00 +0000

Excerpts from my interaction with Surekha Narain, Founder, Delhi Metro Walks.

Please talk a little about your endeavor - Delhi Metro Walks.

Delhi Metro Walks is known to create historic tours that are specialised, imaginative and creative. Our objective is to add new walks as the Metro network expands to bring about an awareness and concern for our built heritage by designing walks of well-known as well as lesser-known areas of Delhi and its surroundings.

What would you say is unique about your initiative?

We, at Delhi Metro Walks, combine the built and natural heritage. And to bring history alive, we make use of visual aids in the form of old maps, entertaining anecdotes, unique itineraries, exotic shopping and much more. Our experience of more than 20 years is reflected in a quick understanding of our clients’ needs, plus meticulous research and planning, with timings carefully chosen to be appropriate for the area, weather and traffic.

What are the areas and walks offered?

We offer over 30 walks for Delhi as well as short trips outside Delhi. We arrange many walks highlighting the historical and cultural aspects, as well as the architecture, textiles, street foods etc. along with river walks & tours to regular and off beaten track and places.

Image Courtesy: Delhi Heritage Walks

We also have spiritual & sufi walks, and cover Sultanate Delhi, Mughal Delhi & British Delhi, and we have created the 7 Cities, Mutiny tours and bazaar walks. Tours like the Shahjahnabad & Chandni chowk unearth hidden treasures in unexpected places for the visitors.

We also cover art, theatre and culture around Mandi house, architecture, markets & cafes around Lodi Estate. Also included in our walks is the Qadam Sherrif in Paharganj & Jor bagh, 1911 British Delhi in Coronation Park & Civil Lines, Missionaries in Tiz Hazari & Civil Lines. We arrange river walks around the Samadhis, burning ghats and beyond Wazirabad. We cover theses areas, the North, Central & South Delhi by metro, walking as well as rickshaw rides, thereby providing a much more authentic experience of the regions.

We also organise short trips outside Delhi, to Lucknow, Varanasi, Srinagar, Landour, Dehradun & Rishikesh, Agra, Jaipur, Vrindavan & Mathura.

How are these walks offered?

We offer group walks on weekends and weekdays for adults, institutions as well as children. Private and customized tours are offered on any day to suit poeple's schedule and need. Besides the walks for schools, we also conduct ‘Moms, Dads and Kids’ walks where all the family members participate in puzzles and quizzes, and essentially ‘take the walk home’.

Tell us about your clientele.

Our clients include individuals without any age bar, family groups, institutions, corporate groups, schools, embassies, expats, foreign universities, ambassadors, foreign professors and more.

What about safety?

Our walks are suitable for all individuals or groups and they are safe for women. We even arrange female friendly personalized tours that are affordable, with value for money, in an effort to provide an unforgettable experience, esp. keeping in mind the safety.

About Surekha: The founder, creator and conductor is passionate about Delhi’s Heritage and has been exploring the city for over 20 years. She founded Delhi Metro Walks in 2009 and leads Heritage walks in and around Delhi. She is a hard-core dilliwala, who has grown and evolved out of Delhi’s unique heritage. She is constantly exploring and coming up with new and imaginative walks.

Meet the organizer, explorer, creator and conductor by joining Surekha on one of her walks and experience her passion first-hand.

For more details, please visit their website, Heritage walks with Surekha Narain

Hi

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 08:08:00 +0000

Image Courtesy: SmileyMe.Com

Since, I have revamped my blog to quite some extent now and my readership has also increased, which I hope will keep on increasing, I have decided to add the 'In Person' Column, featuring tour and travel entrepreneurs, heritage walk architects, and a few chef interactions.

I wasn't sure, if I should, however, during the tenure of my job, there were a few interactions that were left unpublished and leaving it that way, just doesn't feel right. And, though I understand that my blog readership isn't as wide as the publications that I was working with before, I still wanted to help in my own small way.

So here’s an effort from my end, as I believe that these are amazing people who have created and started something even better, in an effort to showcase the heritage and culture of our nation, be it in terms of new and unique travel initiatives or innovation based cuisine.

Image Courtesy: Imagesbuddy.com

Are You MAD?

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 12:07:00 +0000

With the World Mental Health Day just gone by, just sharing a few thoughts about the Indian Mental health status and coping with mental issues.

How many times do we use the phrase, ‘Tu pagal hai kya?’ Almost every day, I guess. However, the troubling part is, that over time, we have learnt to use the phrase so casually that we have forgotten the real meaning, stigma or taboo that is associated with ‘being mad’, especially in our society.

In fact, according to various reports, there are thousands of people with mental health conditions around the world, deprived of their human rights. They are not only discriminated against, stigmatised and marginalised but are also subject to emotional and physical abuse in both mental health facilities and the community. Also poor quality care due to a lack of qualified health professionals and dilapidated facilities leads to further violations.

Now focusing on the Indian macro scenario, esp. since the World Mental Health Day has also just gone by, the status of India in terms of mental health is bad, to say the least. According to an article by The Huffington Post, at least 5% of the population lives with a mental illness, translating to well over 50 million people. Moreover, it stated that nearly half of those with severe mental illnesses aren't treated and of those with less severe versions, nearly 9 in 10, go by uncared.

Mental illness is still considered a hushed up topic in our country and visiting a psychiatrist or seeking help is often a cause for embarrassment and hence, people suffering from psychological ailments end up either denying or hiding their illness, sometimes until it becomes too late.

The impact of inadequate mental health treatment can be estimated, though not entirely correlated, by its effect on suicide rates. WHO statistics say the average suicide rate in India is 10.9 for every lakh people. While the lack of open conversation around mental health is a crucial impediment, experts say this contributes to fewer resources and doctors available.

But lately, I believe, that through the help of organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and many other smaller but effective NGO’s, more attention is being given to mental health issues. Also, there have been quite a few instances where public figures have come forward regarding their battles from mental illness, and whether it was done for publicity reasons or to actually help others in coming forward, I believe that people nowadays are talking about such issues more openly than before.

To advance the growth and create more awareness, the World Mental Health Day, as observed on 10 October every year, was established with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. This Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental healthcare a reality for people worldwide.

With the theme for this year being, "Dignity in mental health", WHO has concentrated its efforts on raising awareness of what can be done to ensure that people with mental health conditions can continue to live with dignity, through human rights oriented policy and law, training of health professionals, respect for informed consent to treatment, inclusion in decision-making processes, and public information campaigns.

The theme for last year was “Living with schizophrenia”, with the focus of WHO on living a healthy life with schizophrenia.

Coping with Depression

Adding a more personal belief, I feel that at some point in all of our lives, we have all faced mental health issues, whether personally or through someone we care about undergoing such an experience.

Treatment of people with mental health illness need not just be done by doctors or psychologists or psychiatrists. Every one could play a role and contribute to recovery, but what’s required is that people understand the possibility of recovery esp. with patience as a major factor and aid.

There are no hard and fast rules for who will endure mental health related illness and nor are there any guaranteed rules for dealing with the problems when they do arise. However, there are certain steps we can take to optimise our own emotional wellbeing and to take care of our mental health.

Depression is one the most prevalent form of mental illnesses and is estimated to exist in 3 of every 100 in urban areas like Mumbai, and of this 1 in 3 is severely neurotic. According to The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Depression is a common but serious illness. Everyone feels blue or sad occasionally, but these feelings are usually short-lived and pass within a couple of days. However, Depression is when it interferes with their daily life and causes pain not just to the person affected but also to those surrounding them and caring for them.

However, one also has to keep in mind that the term ‘Depression’ should not be taken this lightly. Esp. since I feel that our generation is lacking in clarity when it comes to such issues. Though people may find a lot of things disturbing in life, it’s not necessarily the cause of depression.

I can only imagine the amount of counselling that would be required but there are a few steps, that can be helpful, apart from proper medication and therapy. And referencing my personal experience, here are a few pointers for dealing with the same.

Understand your threshold - Everyone is different, so know your habits. Keep track of when you’re feeling well¸ how much you’re sleeping and how much you actually need, how much energy you have, how hungry do you get. All of these can help you to notice sooner if you are struggling mentally. A drastic change in these could let you know if you’re in fact undergoing some distress, emotionally or mentally.

Take out time for yourself - Ensure that you take time each day to relax and do whatever you enjoy, whether it’s losing yourself in your favourite music, reading, watching something silly or anything that you enjoy. However, excess of anything can be bad as well.

Exercise - The mind and body are connected. Physical health issues impact mental health and vice versa. Exercise has been shown to help alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety, plus it helps to maintain physical health. Outdoor sports are preferable as you also get fresh air and maybe change of scenery.

Write – When you’re stressed, just the act of writing something down can be incredibly cathartic, not to mention those are some of the best thoughts that might help you to understand yourself better. Getting those thoughts on paper is what's most important, whether it’s in the form of a diary, a story or a poem.

Communicate – Try to spend time with other people and confide in a trusted friend or family. Try not to isolate yourself, and let others help you, if you feel like it. It’s important to build your safety net before you start to fall, so identify someone you feel comfortable talking to and can easily trust them.

Cut down on alcohol – I know a lot of people who in hopes of self-medication start excessive drinking or taking other harmful substances. It’s important to remember that whilst this might feel temporarily liberating, whatever the real issue is will still be there in the morning, along with a hangover. Alcohol is also a depressant so binge drinking can actually cause mental illness.

Also, people can avail professional counselling services online as well, as there are quite a few portals providing help, guidance and counselling. Just a few are:

Just as a personal note and since I am talking about mental health, I just wanted to add that I am always amazed by the emotional strength and maturity of people. You never know what one might have gone through or even is currently dealing with, by their demeanour. Though, in my experience, there are very few who know how to handle themselves in situations of distress, and I am honestly so proud to call such people my friends!

Ande ka Funda!

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 19:16:00 +0000

What better time than the World Egg Day to voice my opinion about the debate of eggs in school feeding programmes and the lack of information about World Egg Day!

The debate around including eggs in free meals in schools recently resurfaced as the Madhya Pradesh government banned eggs in Mid-Day meals and anganwadis. And today, being the World Egg day, an international event which focuses on celebrating eggs all around the world, I can’t help but wonder what do people consider more important – The nutrition value or the sentimental "value", boiling down to one banned item after the other.

The red part of measuring tape show acute malnutrition.

According to latest Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates in ‘The State of Food Insecurity in the World, 2015’ report, 194.6 million people are undernourished in India. By this measure India is home to a quarter of the undernourished population in the world. Also 51% of women between 15 to 59 years of age are anaemic and 44% of children under 5 are underweight. It is well known that malnourished children have a higher risk of death from common childhood illnesses such as diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria. India was ranked at 55 out of 76 countries, by the Global Hunger Index 2014 on the basis of three leading indicators -- prevalence of underweight children under 5 years, under 5 child mortality rate, and the proportion of undernourished in the population.

However, the real worry, that I feel, is the lack of knowledge and awareness about this issue. And despite being a nation of what I can only hope to be well-informed and thinking individuals, the benefits are usually forgotten and more focus is given to its religious and political status.

It is believed by a lot of nutritionists round the world that malnutrition can be fought with the help of regular intake of eggs, which hopefully isn’t disputed in many regions. Different states have different policies regarding eggs. Around 15 states across the country provide eggs to under-nourished children – some only in the Integrated Child Development Scheme anganwadis, some in the midday meal scheme for schools, and some states in both schemes.

For developing countries, like ours, with Mid-day meals programme in place, it is essential that eggs should be used, not just because of the nutritional values but for a lot many other options which make them ‘Rural-friendly’. They have a longer shelf-life than milk or bananas which is more useful in rural areas, with decentralised kitchens and where refrigeration facilities are non-existent. Also eggs cannot be diluted or adulterated like milk or dals.

Punch Bowl Social

India has been amongst the top 5 egg producing countries of the world and according to a report by Abroader Consultancy, discussing the opportunities in India’s Poultry Sector, despite positive forecasts and investor confidence, the poultry sector still faces certain fundamental challenges. It talks about the global trends where most prominently, sporadic bird flu outbreaks, have resulted in a widespread demand drop across the country in the past. However, the key concern still is the existing lack of storage, cold chain, transport and processing facilities. High feed costs also result in an increased cost of production which translates to higher prices. Other challenges include a lack of quality standards which result in high vulnerability to disease outbreaks.

The need of the hour is therefore, specialised systems and upgrades and existing facilities to boost production, enhance quality and improve outputs. And though the Indian government is exploring growth opportunities and developing ways to improve the current situation, more efforts are required, not just by the government but also by the private participants.

World Egg Day

On a slightly less “controversial” note, I would like to mention it that prior to a couple of days, I wasn’t even aware about anything called the World Egg Day, and I feel there must be quite a few people out there like me, so here’s a brief intro.

To begin with, The World Egg Day was created to promote the amazing eggs internationally, established by the International Egg Commission (IEC) in 1996 and it is globally celebrated on the 9th October 2015. Now, it is a well recognised event and celebrated throughout the world every year on the second Friday of October, with countries all around the world commemorating and enjoying the benefits of eggs. Festivals, charitable events and city celebrations, all are part of the day of recognition for this small but mighty food source.

International Egg Commission

According to a press release by the IEC, Cesar de Anda, Chairman of the IECsaid: “The egg is one of the most important foods globally and its significance should not be overlooked! The most important source of high quality protein, the egg is perfect for sustainable development; the industry can feed a growing population, the egg is incredible.” Eggs provide us with many beneficial nutrients from vitamin A, needed for the healthy development of the body’s cells, and which helps to maintain healthy skin and eye tissue and assisting in night vision, vitamin B12, which is necessary for the formation of red blood cells, important for the immune system to function properly, and helps protect against heart disease, right through to choline, vital for nerves and muscles to function correctly, and proven to lower the risk of heart disease, prevent age related memory loss and reduce the risk of breast cancer by as much as 40%.

I also realised it is not that major an event in India after all, no surprise there I might add! There are various celebrations held around the world for this occasion and according to an article by The New Indian Express, in India, the World egg day will be celebrated in four places- Bhubaneswar, Lucknow, Mumbai and Vijayawada. While another article mentioned that cultural programmes promoting consumption of eggs and contests would mark the World Egg Day celebrations to be held in Vijayawada, on October 9. The celebrations would include contests in making egg-based preparations with participation from hoteliers, students and the people.

To end this article on a slightly more humorous way than it began, here’s a the song ‘Ande ka Funda’, which has been playing in my head since I learned about International Egg Day!

Millennium Trilogy Review

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Tue, 06 Oct 2015 09:18:00 +0000

With the latest addition to the Millennium series recently launched, I believe it’s about time I reviewed the original trilogy, at least till the time I get my hands on ‘The Girl in the Spider's Web’ by David Lagercrantz!

The book summary for the original Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson, as published is below for a quick acquaintance with the series.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, recently sidelined by a libel conviction with bleak prospects until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families disappeared without a trace more than forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to try to discover what happened to her and hires Blomkvist to investigate. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius, and pierced and tattooed computer prodigy with a cache of authority issues. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption on their way to discovering the truth of Harriet Vanger’s fate.

The Girl Who Played with Fire
Mikael Blomkvist, now a crusading journalist and publisher of the magazine Millennium, has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government. On the eve of its publication, the two reporters responsible for the article are murdered, and the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to his friend Lisbeth Salander. Blomkvist, convinced of Salander’s innocence, plunges into an investigation of the murders. Meanwhile, Salander herself is drawn into a murderous game of cat and mouse, which forces her to face her dark past.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
Lisbeth Salander lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she’ll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. On her own, she will plot revenge—against the man who tried to kill her, and against the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life. Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.

As one can imagine, the series is mostly about politics, with crime drama and a little of other ‘drama’, with the two main characters, Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander at the helm. Though by the end of the trilogy, the plot was more focused on Salander with her life story carrying the series through.

The characters aren’t seemingly complex but certainly interesting. For e.g. the criminal Ronald Neidermann, a ‘Hulk-ish’ assassin who cannot feel pain, but happens to be scared of the dark, and of course Salander, an extreme introvert who is hostile to nearly everyone to the point of being unlikeable, a trained boxer, with a photographic memory and a computer wizard.

I found the character of Lisbeth as a memorable one esp. for her strength and attitude. She is portrayed as unique, well-thought-through, mysterious, and somewhat consistent but slightly toeing the believability line. Even though she is portrayed as socially dysfunctional and eccentric in all kinds of ways, she is highly intelligent, strong and moralistic. Mikael Blomkvist, on the other hand, is shown as a holy crusader, who believes in a society based on equality and justice and lives to expose the hypocrisy and crimes of the privileged class.

The series is suspenseful but violent in nature and the treatment of women is ghastly to the point of misogynistic. But like most of stories revolving around a female protagonist, the core of the series is related to sexual politics, with the power dynamic based on physical strength alone, without taking into consideration their intelligence or character.

The first book, ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ tells the story of Blomkvist and Salander, where naturally the case brings them to work together, and inexplicably sleeping together which serves absolutely no narrative purpose. The next two books, ‘The Girl Who Played With Fire’, and ‘The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest’, follow the same story arc, which aims at clearing Lisbeth Salander of murder charges while they research the case of sex trafficking, and political intrigue in Sweden. There is obviously a bit more to the stories than this, but I can’t go in to too much detail without ruining the suspense of the books.

Each book of the trilogy follows the formula of a simple case turning in to something bigger. These novels are different however in the fact that the initial cases are already huge, but they become overshadowed by a case that is not necessarily bigger, but more personal. Research in sex trafficking is overshadowed by the double murder of a journalist and his academic girlfriend, as well as the pickle Salander finds herself in regarding her supposed role in the murders. And eventually the stories tie in to be part of the one big whole, just a little too conveniently, with everything becoming one big coincidence after another.

I still cannot fathom the technical specifications as they don’t really serve the plot in any way and hence feel that the descriptions and specs of what all hardware and software Salandar was using, was totally unnecessary. Also, I am no techie but the specs were already outdated by the time the books were released and thus failed to impress on any level.

‘The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo’, was my favourite of the three as I found the murder mystery plot more interesting than the political themes of the second and third books, although they were all pretty gripping, as they are well written, with a wealth of detail, though at times there was slightly too much attention to trifling matters and a slight tendency to overdo the recapping of previous plot lines; necessary, I suppose, if you are inexplicably reading the books out of order, but a bit frustrating otherwise.

One of the most engaging things about a series, apart from the progression of the plotline, is the writing style of the author. Unfortunately Stieg Larsson died, just months before the first book of the Millennium-series was released to the Swedish audience. And therefore, I highly doubt if the next author would be able to do the characters proper justice as the real genius lies in the characterisations. Also, it is quite sad and disappointing when one discovers an author whose work you like and then realise there is nothing more of theirs to be read.

Just as an afterthought, I would like to voice my concern over the dispute about the so called ‘Feministic’ nature of these books, with people saying that finally they are given a strong, female, literary role model, but I disagree. Firstly, because there is a lot more to Salander than just strength, like intelligence and common sense, which I find to be usually lacking these days, and secondly, there are a lot more strong literary female characters like Hester from ‘The Scarlet Letter’, ‘The Little Women’, and even as children, like Matilda or Sara from ‘A Little Princess’, just a few that come to mind right now.

Personally, I don’t like when most characters eventually come to rely on the men in their lives for strength and support but I guess that’s the real tragedy of this thought-process - the idea of the ‘us and them’ mentality. I really hope that it doesn’t need to be that way. Women don’t need to be fine without men, the same way that men don’t need to be fine without women. We can and may need each other from time to time, not as gendered beings, but just as people.

Image Source:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl Who Played with Fire

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Millennium series

1Q84 Review

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 14:18:00 +0000

There are very few intriguing books solely because of their title and for me ‘1Q84’ by Haruki Murakami definitely lies under such category. I've been meaning to read something of Murakami's for quite a while and maybe this wait was necessary, for me at least, to understand the writing and plot better.

Before I begin, here’s the book cover summary.

The year is 1984. Aomame sits in a taxi on the expressway in Tokyo.
Her work is not the kind which can be discussed in public but she is in a hurry to carry out an assignment and, with the traffic at a standstill, the driver proposes a solution. She agrees, but as a result of her actions starts to feel increasingly detached from the real world. She has been on a top-secret mission, and her next job will lead her to encounter the apparently superhuman founder of a religious cult.

Meanwhile, Tengo is leading a nondescript life but wishes to become a writer. He inadvertently becomes involved in a strange affair surrounding a literary prize to which a mysterious seventeen-year-old girl has submitted her remarkable first novel. It seems to be based on her own experiences and moves readers in unusual ways. Can her story really be true?

Both Aomame and Tengo notice that the world has grown strange; both realise that they are indispensable to each other. While their stories influence one another, at times by accident and at times intentionally, the two come closer and closer to intertwining.

1Q84 is a world that differs from 1984 in a few "minor ways". Police uniforms change, mysterious US-USSR joint bases on the moon, and religious sects appear out of agricultural communes. Also featuring are miniature angels or demons (it is hard to tell) referred to as ‘Little People’, pod-like cocoons created by them for hatching human replicas, not to mention insemination-by-proxy. And then there is the extra moon in the sky.

This being my first Murakami, I had to pay slight more attention towards the characters and social references to understand the writing style, and realised the presence of cults in the series early on. The two active ones here were the Society of Witnesses, with members refusing lifesaving surgery and Sakigake, more Amish and mysterious with a leader surrounded by disturbing rumours of super human powers and criminal acts.

Throughout the story, the narratives of two characters, both seemingly involved with this parallel world in separate yet intertwining ways is shown. Tengo Kawana, a maths teacher & writer; and Aomame, a martial-arts instructor and physical therapist, who also happens to inflict clandestine punishment on brutish men, for an elderly woman known only as the Dowager, who runs a shelter for victims of domestic violence. Kawana gets drawn by his editor into a literary conspiracy to ghost-rewrite a novella ‘Air Chrysalis’ written by seventeen-year old Fuka-Eri, which then wins a prize and becomes a bestseller. Also serving as the novel’s diabolical antagonist was the character of Ushikawa, a hideous and repulsive investigator working for Sagikake, tracking down Kawana and Aomame. Each person in the book has their own story yet they are all connected in a simple and yet seemingly complex manner.

In outline, the plot seems elementary with romance at the core of the novel; boy and girl meet, part, and look for each other, with a melancholy yearning. However, to Murakami’s credit, the entire story was written with impressive tact.

At some points, I found myself somewhat confused, questioning the who, where and what but everything turned out well in the end with no questions being left unanswered. Moreover the ending itself had me longing for more, not just of Murakami’s work but more of the characters and their story. It seemed, perhaps, as the single most shocking and yet no-so shocking event in the book, leaving a lot to the imagination and hoping for more.

The first two books are translated by Jay Rubin and third by Philip Gabriel but the fact that Murakami's work has been translated shouldn’t put one off. Being a translation of the Japanese written novel, 1Q84 clearly differs from the Western literary styles which I'm more familiar with but the elements of the narrative combined with this makes 1Q84 for a stellar read. No mistaking it for a light read, but this book has certainly left me keen enough to read more of Murakami's work.

I’ll end by quoting something that Kawana’s father used to say, “If you can’t understand it without an explanation, you can’t understand it with an explanation,” and though I am not sure that I agree with it completely but I believe this quote to be hinting at some things that just have to accepted, like this book review.

Em and the Big Hoom Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Mon, 24 Aug 2015 17:29:00 +0000

Even though one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, ‘Em and the Big Hoom’, by Jerry Pinto definitely makes you question your resolve against doing so. The purple cover with the image of Em’s head, the dark edges and the gray paper, mimic a vintage look ensuring the cover artist and designer high praise.

To begin with, here’s the back cover book summary.

In a one-bedroom-hall-kitchen in Mahim, Bombay, through the last decades of the twentieth century, lived four love-battered Mendeses: mother, father, son and daughter. Between Em, the mother, driven frequently to hospital after her failed suicide attempts, and The Big Hoom, the father, trying to hold things together as best he could, they tried to be a family.

Essentially, ‘Em and the Big Hoom’ is a semi-autobiographical account from the view point of a son, living in a one BHK flat in Mahim, about his mentally unhealthy mother Imelda (Em), her illness – the causes, symptoms and in turn, its effect on the lives of the whole family, Augustine (Big Hoom), Susan, their daughter and of course Jerry, although he remains unnamed throughout the novel.

I feel that mental illness invokes fear, worry, despair, pain, sympathy and many other emotions, which at best help us to ensure a safe distance from feeling the person who suffers the same. It might be true or just merely hopeful of us, I can’t say for sure, however, in the case of the book, that’s what I felt was the motive of the author.

This novel revolves around the focuses on the depression of Em and in turn touches the topic of disturbed individuals. But, honestly what left me slightly disturbed was the fact that the whole story could have been told in much, much fewer words, without the need or necessity of the ramblings of the author.

It feels that ‘Em and the Big Hoom’ was written in an effort to make people aware about the burden of living with a mentally disturbed person and to make it a more relatable scenario, given the ‘taboo’ stature of mental illness.

However, having a similar experience of living with two such people, I know for a fact, that not every situation is similar or even easy to deal with and that might be a reason why I don’t like the lack of gravity that this book deals out. It just seems to be the latest addition to a long standing tradition of storytelling – the tale of a mentally unstable family member with the focus being shifted to the problems caused by her. And usually, it’s a good thing except when taken too far.

I don’t know how much is real and how much fiction but the character of ‘Em’ is definitely one of the most memorable ones I have read so far. According to the author, ‘Em’ doesn’t cuddle or sing lullaby to her children instead she’s keen on explaining the realities of life to her children. At times it might seem rather rude, but some of them are brilliant pieces of advice, if understood correctly. She loves to write which can be seen through scribbling on the margins of any book or scraps of paper that ‘Em’ has preserved in cloth bags to which the son and the daughter have unrestricted access. She seems in all ways a normal young woman of her time, and yet rather unconventional in her thoughts & actions on occasion. She has no qualms, for example, writing to her fiancé about the fact that she isn't too keen on sex, and asking him whether that would be a deal breaker for the marriage! The Big Hoom is a patient, sensible, dependable and affectionate, and the years of responsibility have turned him stoic and taciturn and Susan is the graceful and reliable daughter.

We do not learn much about the narrator’s sister except her name and a little about her personality. What’s worse is that the narrator’s father, even though he’s on the title, is given very little story space. We get to know bits of his history, and we see his loyalty to his family, but we never get around to understanding him much. The story of what a man might go through as he watches his wife turn into a bipolar, manic depressive and suicidal person, I feel, is something worth exploring further.

With not much of a plot to bank on, Pinto has tried very hard to turn a series of life incidences into a book. A lot of incidences of ‘Em’ have been provided, which at times seemed unnecessary and the author seemed to go on a rant about his life and how scared he was about becoming like his mother, so much so that he even went to a psychiatrist to check out any early symptoms.

However, I must say it’s an easy read; the language is simple and conversational, with the presence of sarcasm and not-so subtle dark humour. The author has made a decent effort to keep everything frank and not urge any sympathy, but I feel he overdid the casualness of it all. The story being part fiction puts the reader in a certain dilemma as one isn’t able to understand which part really happened and which can be put to the imagination of the author. But the novel could be put down as a pretty decent effort towards being a tribute to Pinto’s mother.

And the Mountains Echoed Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Sat, 22 Aug 2015 18:06:00 +0000

Khaled Hosseini, the author known for his unforgettable bestseller ‘The Kite Runner’ and the splendid tale of ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’, returned after a hiatus of six years, to render a tale of humanity, love and sacrifice in another heartbreaking narrative although not as emotionally brutal as his previous works.

To begin with, here’s the back cover book summary.

Afghanistan, 1952. Abdullah and his sister Pari live with their father and stepmother in the small village of Shadbagh. Their father, Saboor, is constantly in search of work and they struggle together through poverty and brutal winters. To Adbullah, Pari, as beautiful and sweet-natured as the fairy for which she was named, is everything. More like a parent than a brother, Abdullah will do anything for her, even trading his only pair of shoes for a feather for her treasured collection. Each night they sleep together in their cot, their skulls touching, their limbs tangled.

One day the siblings journey across the desert to Kabul with their father. Pari and Abdullah have no sense of the fate that awaits them there, for the event which unfolds will tear their lives apart; sometimes a finger must be cut to save the hand.

Crossing generations and continents, moving from Kabul, to Paris, to San Francisco, to the Greek island of Tinos, with profound wisdom, depth, insight and compassion, Khaled Hosseini writes about the bonds that define us and shape our lives, the ways that we help our loved ones in need, how the choices we make resonate through history, and how we are often surprised by the people closest to us.

Abdullah loves his sister Pari, almost like a daughter but due to financial reasons their father is forced to separate them. This story is about the how their lives are irrevocably changed and how the lives of other people, who are connected to them in one way or the other, are also affected.

I believe the most important feature of any book is the ability of the author to engross the reader from the first go. And Khaled Hosseini being a well known and exceptional writer, knows how to weave a story and similar to his other two novels, ‘And the Mountains Echoed’ is no different. Bathed in sadness and despair, with the occasional but necessary, ray of hope, the underlying theme could be taken as that of appearance v/s reality, along with heartbreak and redemption set as the backdrop.

With this book, Hosseini has surprised us yet again by showing that not only his excellent abilities as a writer, but also his capability to create a novel which is quilted from the stories of nine different characters.

‘And the Mountains Echoed’ spans over three generations, intersecting lives of the main characters with those of refugees, volunteering doctors, aid workers, war victims etc. . The Taliban is also mentioned, but just as a background setting.

Each chapter has been written from the point of view of a different person. And unlike his previous works, this one doesn’t centre on regional conflicts. It narrates, rather the individual life journeys and their relation to one another. It is a tale that takes us to four different countries, adding richness and texture to the whole experience of reading a Hosseini novel.

I have always felt that one of the best traits of Hosseini, as a storyteller, is that he sneaks the characters in our hearts so that we may begin to understand their choices, bad or even ugly. Like ‘The Kite Runner’, here too the characters are morally ambiguous. They are complicated and it is hard to recognise the good in the bad or vice versa. Yet, you cannot hate the characters; after all they are only human, a fact that any Hosseini novel ensure you never forget.

To conclude, I feel that ‘And the Mountains Echoed’ is his most ambitious novel so far. It covers more ground, both geographically as well as emotionally, in comparison to his earlier masterpieces. From the very first page, Hosseini has tested the love of each and every character. The story is filled with unspoken feelings, regrets evident only from the tiny but crucial details. It’s hard to do justice to this book with such a brief review, but one thing is for certain that Khalid Hosseini has shown us again, how one can succeed and triumph against all odds no matter what the cost.

Travelling to Tokyo?

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 13:10:00 +0000

Here's some info to start with:

Tokyo, enjoying a long history of prosperity as Japan’s capital since 1603, and with a population of about 13 million, has grown into the largest of the 47 prefectures of Japan and one of the more advanced metropolises in the world. The city focuses on everything from politics to business, from economy to cultural heritage, thus ascertaining itself as a world traveler destination.

Scenic Geography

Even though, known for its urban sprawl and close quarters, Tokyo has treasured its natural beauty hidden throughout its cityscape. The presence of several parks, mountain ranges and bodies of water run through the area, and due to Japan’s cultural and ecological preservation efforts, one can still find traces of pre-urban Tokyo in its natural state.

For an outdoor traveler, Lake Okutama, the largest lake in Tokyo, running through both Tokyo and Yamanashi Prefectures, and the Tama River, provide an amazing scenic beauty. And though Tokyo doesn't have many caves, the most famous one is called the Nippara Limestone Cave, lying on the northwestern point of Tokyo, the largest cave in the Kanto region, taking up to 40 minutes to walk through the area. Here, one can find various stone religious sculptures and various ema, or written prayer plaques, from Shinto supplicants.

The Izu Islands lying in the Pacific Ocean and in order from closest to farthest from central Tokyo include the Oshima, Toshima, Niijima, Shikinejima, Kouzushima, Miyakejima, Mikurajima, Hachijojima, and Aogashima. Each island with its own character, attracts flocks of tourists seeking scenic beauty on top of marine sports and fishing. And the Ogasawara Islands, made up of more than 20 islands, with a subtropical climate form a unique ecosystem. They are listed as a World Heritage Site, and almost their entirety is included in Ogasawara National Park.

Tokyo is also famous for several parks and gardens, most of which are open to the public, like the Shinjuku Gyoen National Park, famous for its cherry blossom trees that bloom in early spring, and the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park encompassing several Japanese prefectures including Tokyo, and considered unique for the fact there is no volcano in the park.

Mount Kumotori, in the Okutama Mountains, is the highest point in Tokyo, standing at 6,617 feet, siting at the boundary between Tokyo and the surrounding Yamanashi and Saitama Prefectures. Near Mount Kumotori in the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park lies Mount Mitake and Mount Mito. The Musashi-Mitake Jinja, an ancient Shinto shrine, sits atop Mount Mitake and is a pilgrimage destination for Shinto worshipers. Mount Mito contains a large beech forest protected by the Japanese government and a waterfall cascading just over 100 feet. Visitors can walk across a suspension bridge to view the waterfall more closely.

Architectural and cultural landmarks

Tokyo, the capital of Japan, features architectural, organic and cultural landmarks that vividly display the iconic heritage of one of the oldest nations in the world.

The Tokyo Tower, modeled after the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but taller and lighter than its French counterpart, makes it the tallest self-supporting steel structure in the world.

The Tokyo National Museum, one of the cultural landmarkds of Tokyo, houses a large collection of Japanese and Asian artifacts dating back to the Jomon Period in 14,000 B.C. Weapons and armor are displayed alongside cultural items such as kimonos, woodblock prints called ukiyo-e and traditional shodo calligraphy.

The religious heritage of the Meiji Jingu and Yasukuni shrines play an important role in Japan's political and military history as well as the Shinto religion. The Meiji Jingu Shrine was erected to honor and deify Emperor Meiji, for whom the Meiji Era was named, and Empress Shoken. The Yasukuni Shrine deifies the thousands of men who have died serving Japan in wars since 1853. Ritual meals are offered to the deities twice a day, following the Japanese tradition of honoring the dead as though they were alive.

A landmark all on its own, the Akihabara district of Tokyo, is a well-known hub for all things digital, electronic and animated. It's also considered a haven for gamers, the unofficial headquarters for the "otaku" subculture of game and anime enthusiasts.

Culinary Delights

Tokyo offers a wide variety of culinary delights, from Japanese cuisine like Soba (Buckwheat Noodles), Tempura (Deep fried seafood and vegetables), and Sushi, to Chinese, French and other national cuisines. It is also interesting to know that Tokyo is home to world’s largest number of Michelin-starred restaurants.

If one goes through the official travel guides and TCVB website, various restaurants have been specified for specific dishes and cuisine. Like the traditional recipe Sukiyaki of tender, thinly sliced beef, vegetables and tofu, seasoned with soy sauce and a dash of sugar, to be relished at Chinya.

Many Edomae (Tokyo style) selections such as horse mackerel, prawns, bonito, abalone, and salmon roe as well as tuna and salmon are available to enjoy the authentic taste, at Ginza Shintomi Zushi

Soba buckwheat noodles and udon noodles, available at Ri Kyu An, both popular and casual Japanese dishes.

Teppanyaki at Teppanyaki Colza, with the famous Kobe beef from Hyogo Prefecture and Matsusaka beef from Mie Prefecture are available in Tokyo.

Izakaya at Shunyutei, a “Japanese-style Pub”, the place to enjoy a drink alone or with a big group. A wide variety of alcoholic drinks and dishes are also available.

Chinese cuisine and various other cuisines from Beijing, Canton, Sichuan and other regions in China are available at Kogetsu, while French cuisine can be enjoyed at Precious Tokyo Bay, Ueno Seiyoken, Tokyo Kaikan Chez Rossini, to name a few.

One can find many more attractions and festivals, highlighting the culture and traditions of the city, with each month accompanying with itself dance, music and beauty. To make things easier, The Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau has created a calendar, which can be looked up @ event calender

For any more information, check out ‘The Official Tokyo Travel Guide’ @ http://www.gotokyo.org/en/index.html

Source: http://www.gotokyo.org/en/index.html & http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/

Images source ©Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau

Private India Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Archana) — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 19:49:00 +0000

Before I received a mail from Blogadda about “Private India” being up for review, for the first time after ages I already knew about the book, after all I had been waiting for it for a really long time, possibly since I first heard about the co-authorship. A combined effort of James Patterson, one of the most popular thriller writers of the world and author of more than 100 novels, and, Ashwin Sanghi, better known as the Indian Dan Brown and author of one of my absolutely favourite books ‘Chankaya’s Chant’, comes the latest addition of the Private Series, “Private India.”

Before beginning with the review, here’s the basic storyline from the back cover of the book, after all I don’t think I’ll be able to provide a summary as enticing as this one, just yet.

In Mumbai, seemingly unconnected people are dying, strangled in a chilling ritual and with strange objects carefully arranged with corpses.

For Santosh Wagh, head of Private India, the Mumbai branch of the world’s finest investigation agency, it’s a race against time to stop the killer striking again.

In a city of over thirteen million, he would have his work cut out at the best of the times, but this case has him battling Mumbai’s biggest gang lord and a godman who isn’t all he seems.

And then he discovers there may be an even greater danger facing Private India. Hidden in the shadows is someone who could destroy the whole organisation – along with thousands of innocent Mumbai citizens.

The story starts with a glimpse of the 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai and being the brainchild of two amazing writers, it takes you back to the night of the horrific incident, rather vividly. Cut to the present times, we see the exquisite writing style of James Patterson. In fact if you are familiar with earlier works of the authors then it’s really easy to differentiate which part has been contributed by whom.

Like I mentioned earlier, Chankaya’s Chant by Ashwin Sanghi has been one of my favourite books so far. The ruthlessness and brilliance of it leaves you spellbound. I have even read his other two books, Rosabal Line and Krishna’s Key, but neither can match the ferocity of Chankaya’s Chant.

As far as James Patterson is concerned, he is considered the thriller master and having read few of the ‘The Women’s Murder Club Series’ and a few of the ‘Alex Cross Series’, I can say without a doubt that when it comes to thrillers, Patterson knows what he’s doing.

This being said, I hadn’t heard much about the Private series, except that they are written mostly through collaboration work of Patterson with someone or the other. However from a standalone book viewpoint, a newcomer to the series might struggle with the 'Private' concept, like I did, but, the detailed description of the gadgets and the facilities at the Private India office reduces the feeling and at the end of the day it is just another high end Private Investigator book.

The story most definitely is a page turner and given the number of thrillers I have read, there were quite a few surprises, which really did surprise me! However, after I finish reading, and still feel that something is missing, I try to figure what went wrong and where.

The one thing that kept on bothering me was the presence of too many elements in the sub-plot, like the Indian Mujahideen, the mafia don Munna, and the Godman Nimbu Baba, which kept cropping up at regular intervals. Even though the roles of these people were limited, the story could have been just about the serial killings. Apart from this, celebrities, politicians, beggars, orphans, prostitutes, police, journalists, local trains, dilapidated buildings, terror attacks and millions of people; basically every bone of the skeleton of Mumbai has been touched upon by the authors like it is intended to be the right blend for a Bollywood ‘Masala’ project, nothing more. Also I felt that transexuality has been treated rather lightly here, which seemed a little insulting and derogatory to the character itself.

The whole book read like a Bollywood movie with unnecessary cliché’s and laced with disturbing language, very layman style, especially when you take into consideration the brilliant works of both the authors done earlier.

With aspects of Indian mythology set as the centre stage for the all the murders, the handiwork of Sanghi I believe, the concept of sacred feminism and how the females are still shunned, in certain ways and places in our society, could have been developed a little more. I really do wish the authors had delved further into the subject, rather than just the surface details. The motive and the mindset of the killer was also left sort of unexplained. I feel criminal psychology is a really interesting subject and there was a lot of scope here to develop it further.

Most of the characters are pretty commonplace, apart from Wagh, our protagonist and the serial killer. I feel there wasn’t enough justice given to the antagonist while writing out the character, as people love to delve into the psyche of such individuals, I know I do.

Most of the book is written in third person but the parts involving the antagonist are in first person, which was disturbing and quite distracting at the same time, an inconsistency given the otherwise accurate portrayal.

The only reason that worried me initially was if I’ll be able to finish the book in the one week’s time given by Blogadda, owing to my schedule, but once I started reading, I was able to finish it off in three days, not regular three days but three nonetheless. Thanks to the short chapters and reader friendly font size. So if you have any doubts about your reading speed, this book is an absolute confidence booster.

All in all, a pretty decent book for anyone who is into a little spicy Indian thrills with a good taste and sense of humour. Also it could be a pretty good opportunity to familiarise oneself with the writing styles of both the authors.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Mumbai and Life

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Sep 2013 16:26:00 +0000

You know how at times you get so accustomed to your surroundings that you forget how wonderful and amazing it is to be there? Yeah well, I am sorry to acknowledge that between assignments, and more assignments, I forgot that I live in Mumbai now! And not just anywhere, but Bandra west, near Mannat, the Mannat! The all famous Mehboob studio is just down the hill, again something which I had failed to remember.

Now, I am not a fan of any particular person, but I would be lying if I say that seeing Shahrukh Khan will be nothing. It’s a huge deal but not something likely to happen, although who knows what may happen in the future.

Anyways, what brought me back to my senses today was, seeing someone who I thought looked like someone I once used to watch a lot, on television. This lady used to play a lot of lead negative roles. The reason that I haven’t told you her name is because I don’t know it. So what? Am I supposed to remember every name that I come across? Well maybe, but it was a long time ago and I am kinda bad with names and I am still racking my brains for it. I am sorry. How I wish Google could read my thoughts and tell me who it is that I am thinking about. But alas! That isn’t possible and stupid me, I cannot even remember the name of the show that I remember her for!

Well, I seem to be in a rambling mood today, so back to the lady that I saw. I was in an auto and due traffic, not to mention heavy rain, we stopped just at the entrance of Mehboob Studio. She was wearing a sleeveless green coloured Kurta with white cupris holding the hand of a girl not more than 12 years I think, although these days it is hard to tell the age of a girl with certainty as they tend to look older than they really are, when they are that young. And as they grow older it’s all about trying to look younger than their true self.

Anyways, back to the TV star look alike. As I saw her, I thought, ‘hey she looks like that lady who used to come in ... well ... um ... that ... arre ... that show...’ And yes, that’s how blank my memory went. But just as we moved, I saw another person clicking a picture with someone and then thanking him profusely. It was then I realised, that the man with the camera was taking a memento snap shot with some actor (some, because I don’t know who that person was). And then it hit me, that the lady I saw earlier wasn’t just any look alike but the real deal! Standing outside the Mehboob Studio!

It’s easy to forget where you really are, literally and metaphorically. But it feels good when reality makes you realise just how lucky you are, wherever you are.

My First Recital

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 19:37:00 +0000

Now, I think I should tell you that even though I have heard a little classical music, I was never able to differentiate between the various classical genres, not that I can now but am just saying, don’t consider this post as to something that will increase your knowledge or give any know how on how to critique or even be able to pretend to know just a little about classical music.

So anyway, like the name suggests this is about a recital, a music concert, my first one ever! Well, firstly, if you haven’t heard about Dhanashree Pandit-Rai, don’t worry; neither had I till a couple of days ago. She, yes Dhanashree is female, doesn’t have a Wikipedia page dedicated to her, so that won’t be of much help here, but obviously Google will. Still, let me give you a brief idea of who we are talking about. Rai is a Thumri performer and has received many awards for her work, even recorded a few fusion albums.

The first time I had heard Rai or even her name was in my Critical Appreciation class where she was a guest lecturer. I like this subject, so far at least and she seemed nice enough so I thought let’s listen to her and if I don’t like it then I can easily nod off to sleep or do something else, another subject’s assignment most probably. But not only did I like her, she was also able to keep my attention directed towards her the whole 2 hours, an almost impossible feat! Well, she has a good voice and knows how to modulate it well too. The main objective of that class, according to her it was to give a little intro and technical terms to flaunt in front of others.

On Friday, September 20, 2013 at the Gallery Beyond in Fort, Sanskar Trust organised a Thumri recital by Dhanashree Pandit-Rai. Accompanying her were Girish Nalavade on Tabla and Niranjan Lele on Harmonium. Sorry if this sounds too much like a news report opening rather than my blog entry but lately all I can write is either a very badly written feature or a somewhat mediocre news report. I think I have forgotten how to write a normal blog entry with just my opinions without any other facts necessary whatsoever.

Now if you don’t know what Thumri is, then we have a serious problem my friend. But I am feeling pretty generous right now so here goes a very, very brief definition. Thumri is a semi classical Indian Music genre.

Today, however, it was a proper concert, an Indian one. If asked what all lyrics were played, I won’t be able to tell you because lyrics don’t matter in this genre of music (I am serious about this!). But I can tell you that I enjoyed every bit of it. Before I reached, I was a little sceptical whether I will be able to match up to its standards and understand what is going on, since I have never been to one before. But once she started singing, my mind stopped worrying and I let myself be taken away with the flow of the evening. .

I could feel the energy in the room even though there weren’t many people present there. Thumri is all about the ornamentation of words and Rai knows how to do that and that seemed enough, for the time being.

I have a habit of noticing the other artists rather than the main one and that’s what I was doing when I hadn’t kept my eyes closed. Both Nalavade and Lele seemed to be enjoying themselves as well, a fact which was probably one of the reasons that I was smiling most of the concert. It could be seen from their faces that they loved every second of that recital and so were a few others, esp. the organisers of the event.

The highs and lows of this music, the beat, sometimes slow, sometimes fast kept me so concentrated on the music that I didn’t even realise when two and a half hours had passed away. All in all, it was a great experience and I absolutely loved it!

To know more about Dhanashree Pandit-Rai, visit the following link. http://www.dhanashreepandit.com/classical_vocalist.html

Also since I have made it my habit to give sources after whatever I write, the above one is where I got the information on Rai and the next one is from where I have taken the meaning of Thumri. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thumri (Just in case you are inclined to know more about it, this could be of some use.)

Ship of Theseus

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Aug 2013 18:47:00 +0000

A movie that disillusions you but still leaves you feeling like something wasn’t altogether right about it either was what the Ship of Theseus did to me.

After exiting the movie theatre I was still wondering about the events that had left me moved and the questions that it had raised but more importantly I was amazed by everyone else’s excitement or maybe it was their indifference towards it that left me a little overwhelmed.

So about the movie, it is a combination of three stories into one with organ donation as a link between them. The movie starts with the story of Aaliya who is a photographer even though she lost her eyesight due to a cornea infection. Not only is she good at what she does but also manages a lot of things which I think even I would hesitate a little before doing, like crossing a main street just to click two people arguing or walk on rocky terrain and still be able to identify the various individual sounds. She undergoes a cornea transplant which restores her eyesight but leaves her disoriented in terms of her photography. The strange part, as a friend pointed out, was that she didn’t take much time to adjust to the gift of eyesight. She just delves right into her earlier works!

The second story showed the life of Maitreya, a monk who was trying to save lab animals by filing a PIL and arguing to provide them with better living conditions. He is shown as a person who is willing to ask some uncomfortable questions, fighting the beliefs of his own religion and believing that all life is sacred. But he is diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. At first he refuses all treatment because he knows they have been tested on animals, thus choosing to die for his cause. But after a lot of suffering, he decides that “his life’s purpose and mission aren’t over yet”, and chooses to get hospitalised and in this process robs a worthy person of an organ.

The third story revolves around stockbroker Navin, who just had his kidney transplant. He is a typical businessman who in not interested in knowing about anything except money making. By “chance”, he happens to overhear someone wailing in the hospital and finds out about the illegal organ transplants. After this we see his transformation from an uncaring person to someone who goes a long way to get justice for someone he doesn’t even know, literally. It was a little too much of cliché for my taste.

The whole movie was beautifully shot and directed, although I did have some difficulty in moving from one story to another as they had no clear cut endings.

The whole story comes together at the end when the connection between all three people is revealed, in what seems the most apt way so much that I can’t think of a better ending.

I really liked the second part of the movie till the last part, especially the banter between Navin and Charvaka, the young lawyer who was helping him with the PIL. Some of the discussions left me introspecting my own ideas and principles.

I just wish that the second part would have ended differently, the monk shouldn’t have given up on his resolve. I know that sounds bad but it is the eternal debate, being practical and pragmatic or being an idealist.

Shoes of the Dead Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:47:00 +0000

Before I started this book, I checked up a little about the author, Kota Neelima and her previous works. Amongst articles and abstract paintings done by her, she also has 2 books published under her name. Death of a Moneylender and Riverstones. Both these books have one thing in common, the sense of true and unabridged reality.

Before I start my review, as always, here’s the book cover summary to give you a better idea of what this particular book is all about.

Crushed by successive crop failures and the burden of debt, Sudhakar Bhadra kills himself. The powerful district committee of Mityala routinely dismisses the suicide and refuses compensation to his widow. Gangiri, his brother, makes it his life’s mission to bring justice to the dead by influencing the committee to validate similar farmer suicides.

Keyur Kashinath of the Democratic Party - first-time Member of Parliament from Mityala, and son of Vaishnav Kashinath, the party’s general secretary - is the heir to his father’s power in Delhi politics. He faces his first crisis every suicide in his constituency certified by the committee as debt-related is a blot on the party’s image, and his competence.

The brilliant farmer battles his inheritance of despair, the arrogant politician fights for the power he has received as legacy. Their two worlds collide in a conflict that pushes both to the limits of morality from where there is no turning back. At stake is the truth about ‘inherited’ democratic power. And at the end, there can only be one winner.

Passionate and startlingly insightful, Shoes of the Dead is a chilling parable of modern-day India.

First of all, I would like to say that if it was supposed to be an eye opener to the plight and misery of farmers in India, I was already aware of most of the problems of poverty and the ways that the farmers have to cope with it. But that being said, this book has definitely been an interesting read, and will be most educational to those who are not aware of the predicament and troubles faced by the Indian farmers today.

According to the book cover summary, this is a narrative about the Indian politics, how it affects the farmers and the drastic measures that they have to take in order to provide for their families. And even though the political influence was there, I believe that it could have been more elaborately done and in a better manner to show just how the issues are being kept at bay and covered up. By that I don’t mean a conspiracy theory or anything, just a little more involvement would have done the trick for me.

The book is very well written and shows that the author has done a really through research about the subject matter, the farmer suicides in India.

The one thing I really liked about it was the fact that even though in the summary it suggested just one protagonist and an antagonist, but in reality this book has a lot of characters which serve as protagonists and the antagonists. For one, there’s the journalist Nazar Prabhakar, without whose help, Gangiri Bhadra would not have been able to attract the attention of the people concerned and connected to make a change. Also, amongst the antagonists there are the Maha Sarpanch Lambodar and money lender Durga Das. Each of them has their own agenda and purpose for making Gangiri Bhadra miserable and creating problems every step of his way.

I loved the character of Gangiri Bhadra. He was a hard working common man, who had to give up a lot in life and yet he had the determination and courage to fight for the injustices done to his brother. It wasn’t that he was fearless or anything but he did have a strong sense of what’s right and what’s wrong. His constant struggle between fighting for justice and trying to provide his brother’s family with the basic necessities is heart-breaking.

The character of Keyur Kashinath wasn’t what I expected it to be. It wasn’t that he wasn’t ruthless, conniving and opportunistic enough but the sudden change in his personality after meeting up with Gangiri, was a little far-fetched for my taste. The same is the case with the rest at the end of the book. The change of heart amongst all the antagonists was toeing the believability line for me.

One thing that I was really glad about was that this book didn’t turn into some kind love story with “complication”, but that being said, the background story for Nazar Prabhakar could have been developed more.

The end, even though it saddened me to read, was something that I had figured out when the initial crisis broke. It was very disheartening but it also gave the book the final and total level of honestly and stark reality which this book had promised.

In the end all I can think about is the line that’s been printed on the inside cover of this book, “None of us can match the powers we challenge. It is an unequal fight, but we do have the dead on our side.”

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Tantra Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 18:12:00 +0000

Before I got the mail from Bloagadda about tantra being the book up for review, all I knew about it was that there was quite the buzz being created around it. For a newbie writer and his first book, a little promotion is crucial but even then, an animated version of the story is going a little over the top, don’t you think?

I know judging a book by its cover (literally) isn’t right, but sometimes one just gets the feeling of how a certain book will turn out to be and that’s what I feel happened here. My expectations from this book were really low, which as it turns out was a Good thing.

Anyways, as I always do before writing my review, here’s the plot of the said novel, as published on the back cover.

Anu is a leather wearing, no-nonsense professional guardian with a reputation for killing the most dangerous vampires in New York City. But when her enemies murder the one person she truly cared about, all she wants is vengeance. The only clue points to New Delhi, so Anu puts in for a job transfer.

In India, she finds more than she expected. For one thing, her fellow operatives have made a truce with the vampires. For another, it’s way too hot to wear leather.

At first, it seems Anu’s biggest challenge will be evading the nice boys her aunt wants her to marry. But when children start disappearing, she discovers forces older and darker than anything she’s faced before. All of Delhi is in danger, especially the sexy stranger who sets Anu’s pulse racing.

To prepare for the coming battle, Anu must overcome her personal demons and put aside years of training. This time, her most powerful weapon will come from her mind, not her weapons belt.

Now, I don’t have anything against vampires and supernatural elements, but when you decide to combine all the things that have helped sell a book in the past, then we do have a problem my friend!

A dab of the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, a hint of Fifty Shades by E L James and also the attempt to bring out a conspiracy theory in the underbelly of Delhi, with the background of black magic, gives you a basic idea of what this book is all about.

Let’s start with our protagonist, Anu Agarwal, a US based Indian Vampire hunter, who is supposedly one of the better ones in her profession and has hunted the most ferocious and dangerous vampires. The first impression here, unlike the other earlier mentioned series, is of an independent, self sufficient, strong and formidable individual. I agree that Anu is physically strong but emotionally, it’s the same saga all over again. Her Character is heartbroken, vengeance seeking and erratic in nature. The decisions and choices, made by her, are juvenile, to say the least, the very least.

The characters, as enjoyable and likeable as they are, leave a lot to the imagination of the reader. Their backgrounds and life stories could have been developed a little more. Also at times the conversations and banter turn monotonous, leaving you wondering why it’s such a slow read.

The author has tried to compose something which will capture our generation’s attention and most probably has achieved in attaining it, considering the reviews that are being written about it. But for me, even though written pretty decently, this book just didn’t do it. I mean the fact that on being given the choice between reading Tantra and studying, I chose my textbooks, says something now, doesn’t it?

The writing style is plain and simple but conversations between the characters shows that the author has tried to imbibe his knowledge of American English and culture even though the story takes place in Delhi. The one thing I really liked about it though was the sense of humour, which kept the book alive for me but also left me wishing for more.

Now even though Anu is a vampire hunter, the vampires are only in the backdrop creating a setting for our protagonist, rather than developing into a full-fledged story.

There are a number of confrontation scenes between Anu and the vampires and the acolytes of Baba Senaka, the antagonist of this book, bringing spice to the narrative.

The author has also managed to put in a little romance here and there for the starry eyed, turning it into a replica, at times, of the books mentioned earlier.

The knowledge about Tantra, the black magic of Indian culture, could have been explained in a better manner. The tales of the past of the various astras seem like something taken from the books of Ashwin Sanghi.

Also, I feel that the ending is rather abrupt and that it could have been better.

The book has left a lot many questions unanswered but that can be accepted since a sequel is hinted at the end.

The plotline of this book suggested a sensible narrative, I mean as sensible as a book based on vampires and the mystical can be, but after reading it, I feel the author got distracted and concocted a mixture of everything and anything which would help the sales of the book.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

The Krishna Key : A Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 14:57:00 +0000

As part of the initiative of Blogadda.com Book Review Program, I have become the proud owner of the book, The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi. The rule after receiving the book is to write a review about it within a week of acceptance. So, needless to say, I started reading it as soon as I got it out of the delivery packaging.

To start with I’ll post the book cover summary. I mean, what’s better to give you an idea about the book than the original summary which was published for this purpose only, right?

Five thousand years ago, there came to earth a magical being called Krishna, who brought about innumerable miracles for the good of mankind. Humanity despaired of its fate if the Blue God were to die but was reassured that he would return in a fresh avatar when needed in the eventual Dark Age—the Kaliyug.

In modern times, a poor little rich boy grows up believing that he is that final avatar.

Only, he is a serial killer.

In this heart-stopping tale, the arrival of a murderer who executes his gruesome and brilliantly thought-out schemes in the name of God is the first clue to a sinister conspiracy to expose an ancient secret—Krishna’s priceless legacy to mankind.

Historian Ravi Mohan Saini must breathlessly dash from the submerged remains of Dwarka and the mysterious lingam of Somnath to the icy heights of Mount Kailash, in a quest to discover the cryptic location of Krishna’s most prized possession. From the sand-washed ruins of Kalibangan to a Vrindavan temple destroyed by Aurangzeb, Saini must also delve into antiquity to prevent a gross miscarriage of justice.

I have been an ardent fan of Ashwin Sanghi after reading Chanakya’s Chant, I mean as enthusiastic a person can be after reading the only 2 books available.

As most readers would know, Ashwin Sanghi is known as the Indian Dan Brown or Dan Brown of India, due to the similarities between their writing styles and thorough research, also the story line or plot of their books seems similar at times.

Coming back to the review of this book, the plot is intriguing but to some extent only.

When I first came to know about the “new release”, I was really excited and maybe that’s one of reasons why I feel disappointed by this book.

I had expected a lot from this book hoping to find some conspiracy theories and untold tales about Lord Krishna. But this book turns out to be slightly less than what I had imagined it to be.

Same as Chanakya’s Chant, here also, the author is narrating two tales, one of the past that is of Lord Krishna and the other one of present times of the historian Ravi Mohan Saini, our protagonist. But unlike the previous novel, here the past story is not as detailed or as interesting, at least to me, partly because of the fact that I know the Mahabharata pretty well, also I felt that for a person who doesn’t know much about the Indian history will have to do some research about it, to understand the underlying plot better.

However, I have to acknowledge the hard work that the Author must have put into the book. From Mahabharata to the Vedas to the different Indian civilizations, he has thoroughly researched everything. I had no idea about a lot of things that were mentioned in the book and I was intrigued enough to actually look them up. It has been really very well researched and includes many a surprise for the uninitiated. It also has a series of references for you to cross-check.

Also, one of the negative points about this book is, for those readers who have or will read it as a guide to history or some kind of unsolved mystery of ancient past, that we cannot differentiate which part is real and which fictional. True or False. Fact or Myth. By the end of the book, you’ll be utterly confused and after reading it, will have to do your own thorough research, I know I did.

With a few exceptions of very clichéd dialogues and intentional use of American terms, his language is definitely a plus point of the book.

If the author had imagined that the revelation of the antagonist will be a bolt from the blue, then he was seriously mistaken. Anyone who has read a few good thrillers or watched some nice suspense movies will be able to guess the real antagonist in almost the beginning of the book just like I did.

Also, sometimes the “facts” about lord Krishna have been duplicated, as in the same stuff has been repeated over and over again.

Towards the end, I felt like the story is deviated from what it was supposed to be with a not-so-exciting end.

I found the ending rather abrupt, sudden and a bit of an anti-climax. It is not what one expected, beginning with thriller and ending on a philosophical note.

A satisfactory read as it introduces you to delightful and strange aspects of our history that will send you scurrying to do a Google search. In those parts, the book is elevated to a true class book.

I cannot say any more positive or negative aspects as it will reveal too much about the story.

It is a good read for a journey or on a leisurely afternoon.

It is decidedly not his best work though, it definitely could have been much better.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Darkly Dreaming Dexter : My Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 14:05:00 +0000

I was really sceptical about reading this book because like a lot of people, even I had seen the show before I knew about the original Dexter Series. But I was surprised how much I liked this book and what an addictive character Dexter is.

In a way I am glad I watched the show before because it gave me an opportunity to judge the performance of Michael C. Hall and I am glad to say that I have a new found respect for the actor. His performance in the show is simply remarkable.

Although that might have something to do with the fact that I really like Michael C. Hall and his face and voice were very much in my head the whole time, instead of the character as described by the author Jeff Lindsay.

To start with I want to post the book cover summary. What better to give you an idea about the book than the original summary which was published for this purpose only, right?

Meet Dexter, a polite wolf in sheep’s clothing . . . a monster who cringes at the site of blood . . . a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likable: he only kills bad people.

Dexter Morgan isn’t exactly the kind of man you’d bring home to Mom. Though he’s playful and has a wonderfully ironic sense of humour, Dexter’s one character flaw (his proclivity for murder) can be off-putting. But at heart Dexter is the perfect gentleman, supportive of his sister, Deb, a Miami cop, and interested only in doing away with people who really deserve his special visit. Dex is quite good-looking but totally indifferent to (and, frankly, a bit puzzled by) the attentions paid to him by women. Despite the fact that he can’t stand the sight of blood, he works as a blood-spatter analyst for the Miami police department, a job that allows him to keep tabs on the latest crimes and keep an eye open for his next quarry.

Dexter’s well-organized life is suddenly disrupted when a second, much more visible serial killer appears in Miami. Dex is intrigued, even delighted, by the fact that the other killer appears to have a style reminiscent of his own. Yet he can’t help but feel that the mysterious new arrival is not merely invading his turf, but reaching out to him as well. This new killer seems to be doing more than copying Dexter—he seems to be saying, “Come out and play.” Dexter’s secret life makes for a lonely existence . . . even a lovable monster can be intrigued by the prospect of finding a friend.

The story, as you can see, is about a Serial Killer. Dexter Morgan.

Mind you, Dexter's the good guy in this story!

Dexter is fluent in sarcasm and subtle wit which makes it an interesting read.

This book is definitely not a typical "serial killer vs. police" novel. The protagonist, Dexter Morgan, works with the Miami P.D. analyzing blood splatter at crime scenes, and as a result he becomes involved in the city-wide search for a serial killer victimizing area prostitutes. The twist, of course, is that Dexter is a serial killer himself. Not the serial killer currently being hunted by the police, but a serial killer, nonetheless.

In general, I stay away from novels about serial killers and anything that could be filed under "True Crime", mainly because of the level of human cruelty and gore that is usually involved. That being said, I doubt it's possible to write a book about a serial killer, let alone a book about two serial killers, without some descriptions of grotesque violence. However the author does keep the descriptions to a minimum and doesn't indulge in unnecessary descriptions of gore just for the shock effect.

The problem with your typical crime book is the lack of characterisation. There's plenty of that in here, in fact, it's all about the characters. There's still a plot, though, and a mystery, which you can figure out somewhat before Dexter does (partly because I already knew but I think even for readers who haven’t seen the show, it should be easy to figure out), but it all hinges on the characters.

In many ways, mysteries rely on deeply human motivations, passions, emotions, etc., which the author has deliberately removed from Dexter. What delights me about this book is how the author still manages to fit Dexter into that paradigm without giving Dexter a sudden fit of human compassion. The rules are the rules from the beginning to the end, and there's no wavering.

It seems really necessary somehow, to me, to compare the book with the show. So here it goes. The first season of the show follows Darkly Dreaming Dexter very closely, with some exceptions. I was thrilled with how much they expended Inspector Angel Batista's role on the show, because he's one of my favourite characters, it was quite a shock to see how little he was in the book. The epilogue of Darkly Dreaming Dexter, although seemed too rushed, but is sufficiently different enough from the show that I'm pretty hyped up to find out where book 2 takes things.

Although the additions and changes the show makes to the plot are only positive. The book's reveal of the Ice Truck Killer and the use of Dexter's dark dreams to find him toe the believability line.

I will search out the other "Dexter" books by Jeff Lindsay, not because they are amazing examples of police procedurals, but because Dexter Morgan is one of the most unique characters I've ever come across.

I would recommend it to those people who enjoys the morbid side of life or who enjoyed the TV show.

Not for the faint hearted, or the easily offended people. Or probably just about everyone else. So now I will go back to pretending I am horrified by this book...