Music and lyrics

Music is that one spice which always adds flavour to all the ingredients depicting the emotions of life.

A moment even has a capability to slaughter the identity or fabricate the existence in a flash of a second with such a way that one is unable to describe the feeling in own words. That’s when, switching to music seems to be apt amongst all, in the innovated/suggested to-do-list.

No matter how disastrous the mood is *rahe na rahe hum, mehka karenge* has the power to cheer the soul. And when there is a reason to celebrate *yo yo honey singh* has that charismatic effect which makes one dance at each and every letter of the lyric.

Kiss of Love

Kerala:

 In 2011, a 26-year-old youth was killed by a mob in Kodiyathur, Kerala, for allegedly having an affair with a married woman. All of the accused were sentenced to life imprisonment in October 2014.

 In June 2011, an IT professional, on her way to work at Kochi's IT park, was accosted by a group of drunken men because she was riding pillion on a male colleague's bike. The drunken men argued with her, and then abused and slapped her.

Is India traveling more now

India always has had an admirable desire and a random acceptance towards change & growth. No matter how much it resists or portrays as to resist from, there has always been a certain trend plunging towards some Newness. Chasing Exposure.

And such similar newness is craved for & experienced via disparate walks of life. One such happy walk is travelling. In fact travelling is one hugely impacting mechanism which not only brings people the unknown but also freshens them up with a certain energy to live. To live & to love.

Wedding Bells

There is never too late to get married but too soon if you get hitched with Mr. Wrong.

It is the transformation one awaits and beliefs it to be immensely beautiful. When with each and every step you take forward there is a hope of having a heavenly future in accordance with past and present.

A relationship which would complement the comfort ability levels same as butter and a slice of bread. No matter how frustrating you turn, he’ll love you in his n number of different yet special ways.

When that one *Darling* in his voice can change your entire mood.

There are moments in life that completely baffle us and make us believe in the power of destiny. These happy accidents turn and twist our lives towards better things.

Strangers unite in this life in a whirlwind of such happy accidents. The accident of finding something truly cherished is defined by the word serendipity. And no two people define the meaning of this word better when decides to get married.

The events that will transpire when you meet your other half will make you complete - these will be interwoven silver filaments of fate and chance. Fate and chance that will work miraculously to unite soul mates destined to find each other, destined to collide.

Maybe it was destiny, maybe it was fate or what was written in the stars. It just had to be, in perfect sync with the universe. In the right place, at the right time, in the right spirit.

Two lives, two hearts, two souls, separate paths but one life-changing “I LIKE YOU”.

The beginning of a realization, when they knew they could never let each other go again, at least till

                                                *THE END OF THE TIME*

Swatii Chandak

10 reasons for travelling via Trains

Relentlessly dynamic landscape, while travelling via trains, makes one free form distress and revitalizes a soul. It is a giant technology for hauling people which equivalently fascinates in providing comfort zone, in comparison to other transportations.

Here the 10 specific reasons why trains fascinates, in no particular order

1)   The level of comfort ability.

       No squeezing in uncomfortable chairs. Settle in which so ever position you want to.

Chhole Bhature

India is full of mouth watering food items! We Indians love our food and yes we are proud of our gourmandism! Well, to relish your meal more, you should love your food. That’s what we Indians do, we simply love our meals and that just adds to the taste and aroma. The variety of food in India is simply amazing. The taste just varies as you cover distances across this great country. Every Indian state has something different and special to offer. Thus, travelling across this great country will definitely suffice to satisfy your taste buds! Believe it or not, tasty food makes you happy and helps you enjoy moments in your life. There is an Irish proverb that says- “Laughter is brightest, where food is the best”. Thus, good and tasty food makes you glow and glitter!

5 reasons to live on a Beach

I may be a mountain-crazy but I’m never away from being a water-baby! (Yes that rhymed!!)

Be it the amazingly clean beaches of down South or our very own Goa, beaches have always been an integral part of the many vacations I’ve had in my life and when it comes to settling at one of these places, my mind just has the reasons and here they are-

1.     For the ‘feel’

The warm beach sand and the fine grains stuck to your feet, the bustling air currents sending your clothes and your hair into a tizzy, the water; dancing along with its ebbs and tides kissing the tips of your toes, the distant sun; smiling at you ever so gracefully, the lazy rocks around; your perfect company.

There’s this amazing ‘feel’ as we call it, attached to the beaches, which shouts, if there’s life, this is it!

The Museum of Broken Relationships

So you just got dumped? But can’t get over him/her? Love ends but memories remain. But you can do something creepy and amusing by donating your memories to a museum! The shiny shoes, kinky toys, frayed gowns and scribbled notes and letters; all are arranged as a memory in a place called MUSEUM OF BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS (MoBR).Yess! Zagreb’s museum of broken relationships, an unusual museum in Croatia’s capital (Europe) collects the stories of failed love and leftovers of last lovers.

Why trains fascinate us

I am sure we remember this memory from our childhoods: a chugging train full of passengers who we used to wave enthusiastically at and wonder as to how far and where all those people were going. The sound of 'chukk chukk' and the belching smoke running up in billows as the train moved ahead gave us the twinkles in our young eyes! How fortunate those passengers were to be travelling in the train, we thought! So exciting! Trains were wonderful! In the playground, we mimicked the trains as we lined up one after the other, with our tiny hands holding the waist of the child in front of us, and the one in front leading us gleefully in any direction whatsoever and all of us shouted "chukk chukk"!!! 

Love unplugged

We are all searching for the one. The one who makes our soul dance to the cadence of love, the one who sings a song only we can hear, the one whose heart throbs so in sync with ours that both beat as one...

A tryst with destiny and how two souls share same passion. How his presence struck a chord and her smile tugged at the strings of his heart. Maybe it is destiny, maybe it is fate or what is written in the stars. It just had to be, in perfect sync with the universe, in the right place, at the right time, in the right spirit...
When the bodies moved to the same tune, the same song, the same rhapsody, it just had to be.

Believe in Love

Do you believe in love? In soulmates?

Do you believe that you can look past the flaws and faults of a human and accept them for what they are?
Do you believe that you can give without asking for much? That we all have that one great love which changes our life? Do you believe,that you can separate the flings and the passing affairs from the real connections? Do you believe that even on your worst days its your love that will be your saviour?

10 reasons to date a foodie

We the ‘Foodies’’ don’t eat to live, we live to eat and we are all proud of that! Here are just the ten reasons to date us! (trust me I scratched my head like never before while thinking of these reasons and now I’m dying to eat something)

1. Because any meeting isn’t random!
Boys, this one is especially for you; most of the time of our pre-dating period is spent thinking about, where do I fucking take her? A garden or the zoo or the lake or the river-front or my house?
This is where the misery of the brain ends, when you date a foodie, any outlet of a McD or a Dominos is more than enough to keep your better-half happy and increase your chances of earning the second date!

Breakups:- End of Road

·         ‘We broke up. I do not want to live anymore.’

·         Whenever someone breaks up from a serious relationship, (s)he usually goes into a depressed state and thinks like (s)he wouldn’t be able to live their life as their partner has left them alone, that their survival is not possible. But is it really the truth?

Bookstores:- Are they dying?

 A few clicks, and you are living an easy life! This is the scenario ruling our market today. From an infant’s diapers to a homemaker’s mixer-juicer-grinder, a good part of the urban population is now resorting to online stores for these necessities. And why won’t they? We always prefer to pick an easier way to get our work done. Whether it’s shopping or anything for that matter. Moreover, to people in small towns, online stores provide more and often, better options.

The Dark Hole

At atleast one point in our lives we all go through a really weird phase when nothing goes right and nothing's left in your brains. And when nothing goes right despite of trying every damn thing with the dedication of every single cell in our body,our confidence takes a deep plunge in the wide sea of depression pulling our happiness and motivation and willingness with it.

Your job left you and your cat died,you're wife's a nuance and you're finding it difficult to strive. Your books are flesh-eating monsters and your friends are monotonous mood busters. You don't feel like getting out of the bed when responsibilities and loans are on your head.The motivational talks are shit cuz you think you know your depression is where you fit. 

10 reasons to date a Foodie!

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a foodie as “a person with a particular interest in food; a gourmet.” Given such a broad definition, a foodie these days could be anyone who is a connoisseur or even someone who regularly watches Masterchef!

There's an old proverb, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach". Well that IS a bit sexist for sure but we believe there are a list of reasons to convince you as to why guys or girls, foodies make the best of partners.

Anthologies- Toast of time

Gone are the days when getting published was a Dream Come True, today every other engineering student with a keen appetite for Green John’s book and a free blog hosted on BlogSpot is a published Author.

I got the privilege of getting published in the first quarter of this Year! No, No not a full-fledged book, I am yet to go that mile and become a Real Writer but for now you can call me a Published Writer.

7 reasons why Indians do not travel solo

 I am not much of a traveller neither do I dig travelling . I am afraid of heights, water and things which can kill you.

The childhood memories include of going to Haridwar , Mussourie , Dehradun as tourists , clicking pictures , eating too much everywhere and coming back tired.

Sometimes we would go to other cities also to attend weddings of cousins whom I have not seen after that.

Travelling alone or Solo is a very common concept abroad and now Indians are also going abroad solo but we do not see that within our country.

In my opinion these are the reasons Indians don’t travel Solo within india:-

Traditional vs Online bookstores

As digital alternatives arise, physical processes seem less efficient. This theory certainly has 
consequences that extend far beyond the literary community, but these days technology is 
becoming the defining factor in how books are published, distributed, bought, lent and sold. 
And as digital publishers become more adept at leveraging these innovations, brick-and-mortar 
booksellers are nearing a point at which they could have to fight for the very survival of their 
market segment.

Good Old Days

 Life. It starts with babbling and in no time reaches the age of full grown and mock speeches. A part of growing up, one thing people want to give up after finally having attained it. When exams seem a big load, and job a forced necessity, quite many of us find solace in the snippets of past. 

The past that was our childhood. From all the best memories we ever make, the ones that put a silly smile on our face are of the days we spent in knickers and frocks, and yes, with two ponies (girls, of course). We clearly remember the joy on getting a brand new bicycle, for the thrill of which we would sneak out of home while elders used to drown themselves in an afternoon nap. And as the evening would set in, we’d prepare ourselves for a cycle race with our neighbouring pals. Those races were our definition of a tough competition. And winning wasn’t always important. It was the time we got to cycle around the locality, that concerned us.

The door of the waiting room

The blue coloured uniform clad watchman opened the door as I marked my steps. The sun was setting in peacefully yet he had decided to wear over-the-top black shades. Inside, there was a huge Ganesha idol just next to the reception, I stood there and tried smiling at Him, a practice I had long forgotten since I gave my last college exam.

What's your success

When was the last time anybody asked you about your recent success and you answered the commendable yet unsurprising like, claiming a graduation degree, an award, a high paying job, a house property purchase or anything on those lines? Well, question me in return, and my latest success (latest!) that I’ll mention would be- One, I took a long run, 5 km, this weekend, without stopping, exactly as planned. Two, learned how to ride a bike, a motorcycle, since I always wanted to borrow my cousin’s Avenger. Completed a book in less than the predicted time. And to my own surprise, for once, at the end of the day, checked off all (read ALL) the ‘to-do’ things on the sticky note.

What the Relatives !

In this cobweb, we have been ensnared for centuries. You don’t even need to walk into it. You simply have to take birth as part of one of the many family trees and you are trapped already. Those are the sentiments of today’s youth. They are not to be blamed because they are constantly forced to drink the venom spewed by the many uncles, aunties, their lads and lasses; some stay close, some seven seas apart. But they are always observing your every move.

It’s not all that bad, really. Once you learn to squeeze some benefits from them, you have the last laugh. Here are some such utilities.

Things to make the world a better place

The recent series of incidents have forced us to rethink of ourselves as a nation. We are living in a country where girls and women are fearlessly raped, people are undergoing forced Islamic-baptism and the youth is busy enjoying Comic-con and planning for the first every Tomorrow land carnival in India.

Something is wrong! Something very important is missing! A sense of responsibility and a sense of belonging are missing. We turn patriotic on only days like Independence Day and Republic Days. We need to be more patriotic if we want to make our country an epitome. We need to be more responsible and Now that Al-Qaeda has announced their Indian Wing we need to be more alert.

Man and Science

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep

And miles to go before I sleep.

Let us celebrate today, the ingenuity of the biggest creator on Earth, a man.

I am a Man, the most intelligent creature created by God himself. Art is pleasure, invention is a treasure. Let me take you on a journey of exploration and art that traverses through the ages and celebrates how mankind  has changed our lives both creatively and practically.

Reasons to read

"Its a waste of time,"said my friend and the first thing that came to my mind was-talk about words hurting!
Being an avid reader,I took personal offense at my friend's words but I nevertheless prayed the holy Lord to bless his poor ignorant soul. Later that night,I couldn't help but wonder,how many people out there really considered this divine activity of reading as a 'waste of time'?

So here I am,as the defence for those helpless li'l books and articles which are ignored as nothing of importance,pointing out why reading is not only a good activity but also an important one.

When nothing seems to work

                    When nothing seems right in life there are always two ways to see things, say the ones who have been through, gone through. These two ways are; either look at things in a positive way or a negative way. But when things go haywire, we generally have more than two ways; looking at things in a confused way, irritated way, sulking way, stoned way etc. Here are a few options you can try when all you see is a void, and nothing traditional seems to work.

                       1 Now, when one can fall into so many ‘not so amusing’ situations then whom to look up to and where to get that mindset that can make one see those ‘one better than the other out-of-the-box’ way of dealing with the situation. The brawny ones say that meditate if you are way too ruffled in your shawl (it is symbolic, means if you are too much troubled). Hmmm… I did try in the times of crisis, you too can. Results... Well! They vary.

Ten reasons to live in U.P.

 Uttar Pradesh is a special state and there is no doubt about it! It’s a part and parcel of this great nation. Uttar Pradesh has immense history associated with it. Also, the state’s contribution towards the freedom to the nation is a special thing.

If you live or you’ve lived in U.P., you know what it feels like. If you haven’t, here are ten reasons you must come and live in U.P..

U.P. is ‘Nawaabi’ and ‘Shayaraana’:  Yes, the state is a state of the Nawabs. People here are blessed with immense ‘tehzeeb’ and live a life of ‘fursat’! You will get to hear ‘shayari’ of all sorts, for all moods! ‘Shayari’ for the broken heart and ‘shayari’ to inspire the youth! If you want to taste the ‘Nawaabi’ and ‘Shayaraana’ flavour of the state, visit the capital city of Lucknow.

“Muskuraiye, aap Lucknow main hain (Smile, you’re in Lucknow)”

The Un-kind Kinds

Irrespective of who You are, where You come from, where you aim to go the most impactful time of your life is while you are in school. Its apparent too. Ofcourse if You spend 1/3^rd of your days for twelve years in an institution it is bound to grow on you. And it does. We are bullied there, appreciated or embarrassed. We learn to get over most. We don’t really keep in touch with the school, the school life or the lessons, but we do keep in touch with friends that we make or and we keep in touch with the news of the ones we unmake there. Here’s an inclusive categorical description of friends we have in our groups in general.

Ten Characteristics of a Gujarati

Although a non-Gujarati by caste, I was born and brought up in a beautiful city of the state and currently living in the largest city of Gujarat. So basically, I’m a full-on Gujju by heart and I present you with the ten characteristics of the people from my state- 

1>  Any food, Anywhere, Any time!

First thing first, we are foodies, enormous ones at that. Yes we are only known for our ‘Khamans’ and ‘Dhoklas’ and ‘Fafdas’ but just lash onto any form of food that is in front of us. A Mexican cuisine full of ‘Athana-Sambhar’ is just as good as a plate of Noodles from a nearby ferry (and mind you that it isn’t noodles, it is simply and purely Chinese). But, nothing beats a spicy liquid ‘Sev-Usal’ and or a breakfast ‘Bhakhri’ and Tea.

Four kinds of Friends

Friends are the blessings of our lives. Friends make adventures more fun. Just like a music band has members of different talents, a gang of friends has all types of characters who make friendship and life even more worth the while!

Different types of friends serve different purposes and nourish and enrich our lives in different ways. While we are lucky to count good friends on our hands, I have observed that in a gang of friends, we broadly have four different types of friends. 

The not-so Idiot box

We all know what a television/TV is, right? It is infamous for turning people into idiots (if that is even possible). Television, as I see it, is an incredible invention without which we would have been better off living in a cave, or perhaps some unknown island beyond the realm of humanity.

Are we alone

How would you feel when you step out of your house and forget the way to your work? Or are unable to recall what job you do? That’s what happened to a middle aged man in United States of America. Just like his daily routine he woke up early got ready and then he realized he couldn’t remember a single thing about his job.

Befriend with Care

 The world today is moving at quite a fast pace. And what’s moving faster is the overpowering clutches of the social networking sites. They have become one integral part of a major number of the living humans. Some dead too. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram……a storm everywhere!

Well, my take this time is not on how good or bad social networking is for our health, wealth, or whatever. I’ll rather be spending a few paras with the topic ‘Virtual Friendships.

Date a girl who wears Glasses

So this ‘debate’ of sorts, whether a girl wearing specs is more or less attractive than the girl who doesn’t wear it, is among one of the top hot topics in a boys party and although it remains without a conclusion, I come up with my five reasons as to why a girl wearing specs is irresistibly attractive and the as to why she should be dated..

The Shopping Dilemma

                            

With the changing trends in the general life, trends in shopping are also changing. The internet is a huge media these days and thus online shopping has seen a huge boom in the recent past. In a country like India where the fad for internet is increasing at a rapid pace, online shopping has a huge potential to mushroom! If you go back a decade in the memory lane, internet was a rare thing and there were hardly any online shopping sites. The ever changing fashion trends and the new trends in technology have contributed to the growth of online shopping. Also, the busy schedules and the rat-race type of lives in the metro cities are a huge reason for online shopping becoming a huge hit in India. Like all things, even online shopping has a few pros and cons. Let’s try to analyze a few of them.

Lets Go Shopping

Bonnie’s ‘Retail Therapy’ session went quite well; she visited the local mall for her fix of new lip-butter, as well as a pair of new obnoxious but cute earrings. Nothing beats spending money to forget about your troubles, she thought with a smile!

They do not call Shopping ‘Retail Therapy’ for nothing. There seem to be positive consequences to buying oneself a small treat: one really does feel better!!

And the Moral of the story is:-

“Here's an issue that's very close to my heart.

The class 12 results came out today. Millions of kids have been pressured by an educational system designed to test out memories more than our minds.

I got a 59% in my 12th and thought my life was over. I really did. Needed someone to tell me then that these results would never matter again in two months time. It's just an exam.

So parents I urge you to rally around your kids no matter how they did. That’s something they'll remember forever on a day when they face nothing but harsh judgement. Turns them into great people.

The Right Guy

‘Do you know?’ He said, taking her hands in his, ‘Do you know what it is to love someone and never, never! – be able to give them peace and happiness? Do you know what it means to not feel like you are the Right person for someone?’

The Right guy is never wrong. The Right Guy makes things last. The Right guy makes it all Right! The image of the right man, the tough man and the true man are all rolled into one man in our fantasies as ‘The One’. The need to look for ‘The Right Man’ is as old as our dreams themselves! Since we spend so much of our young life wondering, waiting and evaluating men in the cast of ‘The Right Man, is he?’ , my Muse for this week is : Who is the Right Man and how do we stop lookin’ for one!

Over a cup of Tea

We Indians tend to take our right to Freedom of Speech seriously. Talking, or better say chattering comes naturally to many of us. Well, before someone plans to bash me, let me clear that I mean it all in a good spirit. No offense.

When it comes to striking a good conversation, we’ll always find a couple of people around us, dying to let out stories narrating how their dog is the best in the neighbourhood being a rare specie, or how the daughter of their friend’s friend eloped with a guy , only to return 2 year later with a little kid, cute enough to please her parents’ bad temper. The axiom is that more often you are likely to not get bored for long, if you are travelling alone in a plane, train or a bus. Even in an auto ride back home, by God’s grace you’ll be accompanied by people who have pledged to keep you awake on the way. Heavenly souls. And if not that, you yourself may enjoy conversing with the autowallahs, and may be get an insight into their plight. It’s largely believed that sometimes talking to a stranger does wonders. 

The Logical Indian

     

It’s been a month since world’s largest democracy witnessed the holy ritual of power shift. The political party, which came into power, has made immaculate use of resources at hand to draw the results no one expected.

Well! Pre-election assumptions and exit polls are now an entity of past, today, we stand at the threshold position from where we need to stop talking and get going.

Now is the time to be more active than we ever were or we thought ourselves into the fact that we were.

To read and write

Do you stall reading? I do. Guilty. I finish books in a week that I would rather in a day or two. I surf through their pages unhurriedly. Reeling in its crisp or stale smell. The smell of fresh unread words. The same words said over and over again. With varied meanings. They amaze me. Simple words.  White Sheet. Complex formations. Complicated me. A sparkle of crisp champagne is how it all feels to me.

The FYUP gamble

As I scratch my head making faces and staring into nothingness thinking about what to write on this time, my sister sits crouched making lists. She is moving to another city for work. Looking at her reminds me of how excited and anxious I had been when I moved out of home for college last year. That feeling of butterflies in the tummy and staring at the luggage bags, all that comes to me again. As monsoon is ushered in, so is the season of moving out of the comforts of home for college. I had always wanted to study at DU and I managed to make it through the hurdles. The happiness came with a bitter-sweet feeling, of leaving family behind and moving ahead, living on my own. There was anxiety in shopping, anxiety that filled me with self doubt and denial, anxiety thinking of rooms and roommates.

Andaaz Apna Apna- A tribute

We Indians should be proud of Bollywood. Yes, indeed Indian cinema industry has given some cult movies to the world. Movies that entertain and refresh you every time you watch them; no matter how old they are. That’s the special thing about these movies! No matter how many times you have seen them before, they are always good enough to catch your attention and keep you absorbed. These Indian movies are big hits not just in India but all over the world. People who don’t even understand Hindi; love watching these Indian movies with subtitles. Sometimes, even the subtitles aren’t required and only expressions suffice the purpose!

Sherlock the show or the movie

Trust me when I say, I’d been as happy as a giddy kid on a school holiday when this topic was to be written upon. Sherlock Holmes- be it the book, the movies or the show, rather shows if you consider Elementary, I’ve always obsessed over them. I’ll admit I haven’t read the entire Sherlock Holmes series, but enough to compare the show and the movies. I’d say I prefer Sherlock the series than the Sherlock movies. 

Book Review: Meghna by Sundari Venkatraman

Source: Google Images

About the Book: 

Title: Meghna
Author: Sundari Venkatraman
Publisher: Flaming Sun
Language: English
No. of pages: 173
Year of Publication: 2014
ASIN: B00KUPUURS
Buy from Amazon.in (Kindle Edition)

The young and dashing Rahul Sinha lives in England with his parents, Shyam and Rajni. He is an only son of the rich banker. Rahul is totally attached to his father but does not care for his mother. Read the book to find out why…. Rahul is exulted with his efforts at work paying off and plans a holiday with his best friend Sanjay Srivastav who lives in Mumbai with his wife Reema, kids Sanya and Rehaan and most importantly, his sister, Meghna. Rahul recalls meeting Meghna just before they parted six years ago. Meghna works for a website and also teaches modern dance as she loves it. She’s thrown for a toss when Rahul comes visiting. She had thought he had forgotten them. But how could Rahul do that? Sanjay’s his best friend and Rahul had always treated their home as his own. Sanjay’s mother had been more of a mother to Rahul than his own. Rahul had stayed away after moving to England or so Meghna believes. Thus begins the story between Rahul and Meghna, the teasing, the flirting, the anger, the tears… …will they find love?

10 things to learn from Joker

Batman’s most infamous character, the Joker, has been a longstanding face for prankish mayhem, and the late Heath Ledger’s masterful performance in The Dark Knight has only elevated the character to new heights. Despite the Joker’s unforgettable acts as a sociopathic murderer, many people are intrigued by him and even find him charismatic.

So what’s there to love? A lot :

Why we still laugh at F.R.I.E.N.D.S

On a lonesome Saturday evening I sat on my couch with a big bowl of popcorn and my favourite soda to catch up on the daily soaps. As I flipped the channels, I switched to Romedy Now, in hope of a rom-com showing, sadly they weren't instead there was an rerun of the season 1 of the sitcom Friends. I was never a Friends junkie and had never caught a single show on air but i decided to give it a go since it has been the "IT SHOW" among many I know. With the laptop on my side and the Half Baked Voices's email open, there was a deadline screaming at me and I was still indecisive about which topic to choose, so I did what I do best, I procrastinated.

Book Review: The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

Source: Google Images

Cover: Rather mundane, not that attractive 

Pages: about 328 

Language: English, easy to understand 

Price: Rs 205 

Publisher: Harper Collins Publications 

Quality of the book: Very Good 

Fonts: Medium sized, Readable 

Characters: One main character, Rest supporting. 

Narration: First person 

Flow: Mostly Smooth, but has turning points 

Andaaz Apna Apna - A Cult

Let's rumble into 1994. India rolls out the short range Prithvi Missile. Sushmita Sen became Miss Universe. P.V. Narsimha Rao defines corruption. Kapil Dev raises the bar of test cricket. Andaz Apna Apna happens to Indian Cinema.

Amar aur Prem. Amar Prem. Bhakti ras se bharpoor. Naam sunte hi main jaan gaya tha ki tum dono awwal darje ki filmi aur awara ladke ho.

Everyone is beautiful

Human race is materialistic. Profoundly materialistic. More often than not we are reined by physical beauty, of everything and to be precise, of our fellow humans. Happily not caring about the better aspects of one’s personality, we choose to judge a person by his/her looks. And here I am talking about the general human tendency. There are many sensible souls too.

Indian Trucks

                          

The street is full of moments, you just need to have the curiosity to pick them up! Travelling as they say, is not just about covering distances. When you travel, you cover cultures, traditions, lives et al. There is an old Indian belief that says that with every definite number of miles (or kilometres), the language changes, the custom changes, the tradition changes and even the physical characteristics of people vary with the changing distances. Thus, travelling is by all means a extremely dynamic process or mechanism.

Book Review: The Perfect Groom by Sumeetha Manikandan

Title: The Perfect Groom

Author: Sumeetha Manikandan

Cover: Could have been more intriguing

Language: English

ASIN: B00HDZOQ8M

Pricing: Rs. 175 / $2.99

Publisher: IndiReads

Quality: Good

Fonts: Readable

Characters: One Main Character

Narration: First Person

 

Language: Simple yet kept the reader connected

 

Flow: Smooth

 

Overall rating of the book: 4 stars

 

Scars of Time

Time changes a lot many things in people. Time heals, time wounds, time withers, time replenishes. That's what time does- Change. It changed who I was and it is changing who I am. Be it the kind of person I am to the kind of moods I have. Time decides it all. I have changed with time inside and outside. The length of my hair has grown longer and I've grown quieter. 

Friendship happens

A lost friend always hurt us. Broken friendship is like a broken glass, pick it up any time , no escaping the cut. I am not going to bring objectivity into this article but cerebration.

How do I enter into a situation where I become incapable of holding onto a friendship?

Irony? Another person is doing it good. She is balancing the friendship with the same person exceptionally ( suspiciously) in a better way.

Parents

“I know you are going to make it”, said my father while I was going to enter the centre for my M.A. entrance examination. I had not been able to study anything at all. I barely got one day amidst my university exams and other high priority course entrances to prepare for this one. Papa wants me to get through this however. When I said “Papa, I don’t think you will have to wait too long, three hours is too much. I hardly know anything”. My Papa induced me with his faith. It somehow gave me a supernatural power; it made me believe in myself. My papa is my superhero indeed.

Book Review: Love across borders - Stories of love, connection, and friendship that transcend the physical divide

Source: Google Images

 

Cover: Beautiful. The sand depicts the deserts that our countries have in common.

Pages: 109 with adjustable font since the book is available only as an ebook.

 

Language: English, clear and lucid narration

Price: Rs.184

 

Publisher: Indireads

Quality: Very Good

 

Flow: It’s different for different stories, but overall a smooth flow.

 

 

 

The modern girl's manifesto

It's 2014 and some people still seem to be stuck in the Middle Ages as far as mental attitudes towards women and girls are concerned. To facilitate their smooth teleportation into the current day and age so that they are not blinded by the contrast from their own mental timeline when they reach 2014 from 32 B.C., I hereby declare a girl manifesto to re-inform them lest they be in  unfortunate possession of seriously twisted ideas of gender roles. And in this Time- Spaceship we will carry several of our Indian brethren too. Men and women alike. Happy journey to all aboard!

That thing called Smile

This is it!', I said to myself, closing the books. It was one of those days when I felt terribly low. My semester end exams were going on and tomorrow was the subject that held the highest number of credits and here I was simply turning the pages of this 1kg book, my mind refused to take anymore of the shear stress and bending moment.

I had no idea about what to write as my first article for the blog and the deadline was smiling at me, a wicked smile.

Focus and Productivity

            When was the last time you were truly productive? I don’t mean when you were busy, not one of those eighteen hour days where you were exhausted, but had nothing to show for in the end. The last time when you were so involved in work that you forgot everything around you and your entire focus was on the work at hand, and the end results were extremely satisfying.

Book Review: You Cant Fight A Royal Attraction by Ruchi Vasudeva

 

ISBN: 9789351060574

Publisher: Harlequins Mills and Boons

Price: Rs. 125/-

Blurb:

The last thing Rihaan needs in his life is to play a host to a woman who drives him crazy! Saira is gorgeous, yes, but she's also widly infuriating.

Yet every time she comes within an inch of him he finds his normally iron-clad control slipping further and further away...

Wanting to protect herself from more heartbreak, Saira knows she should keep her distance from Rihaan -but there's something about him she just can't seem to resist... Little does she know that Rihaan is hiding a secret!

When it comes to light will it tear them apart -or raise their passion to new, more majestic heights?

Delhi vs Mumbai

I am a proud Mumbaiite, Navi Mumbaiite now, but it's the same thing. Once you have spent the major part of your life growing in Mumbai, you are always a Mumbaiite, right?

As a kid, Delhi was my summer vacation destination with most of my maternal relatives and cousins staying in the capital city. And when we were in school, at least once during our Delhi stay the Mumbai vs Delhi argument would come up. I and my brother used to defend Mumbai (then Bombay) like how!

Book Review: How I braved Anu Aunty & co-founded a million dollar company ~ Varun Agarwal

Source: Google Images

Title: How I met Anu Aunty & co-founded a million dollar company - a true story

 

Author: Varun Agarwal

 

Rating: **** 1/2*

 

Cover: Anu aunty illustrated, standing in front of Varun's world & what's in it. Clearly an impediment.

 

Pages: about 250 in medium font.

Language: English, clear and lucid Price(less) at: Rs 140

Publisher: Rupa Publications

 

Quality of the book: Very Good

Fonts: Readable

 

Characters: Four main characters. Rest supporting.

Narration: First person

Flow: Smooth

 

Staying cool in the summer is important for many reasons that include health, fashion and comfort. From an uneven complexion to frizzy tresses, from hot air blows to room heat, from confused stomach to summer clothing... Pesky warm-weather issues:

SKIN:

Exfoliate for clearer, smoother skin

 Exfoliation removes dead, dulling skin debris to prevent congestion and improve hydration from toners and moisturizers.

 Befriend H2O

 High temperature and outings leads to dehydration, which results in headaches and dizzy spells! Eight 8-ounce glasses of plain, filtered water every day help maintain critical moisture balance of the body and skin, and assist in detoxification. (If you drink caffeinated beverages, you must triple the amount of water you drink!)

Blemishes 

Pimples can be more prolific in summers due to heat, sweat and extra oil. And, unfortunately, they're not limited to the face (“There's also backne and buttne :D”) Regardless of where acne pops up, Use a glycolic or salicylic-acid cleanser and make sure everything you apply to your skin—from makeup and facial soap to body wash and sunscreen—is oil-free so you don't further clog pores. Keep your face moisturized not greasy!

Eczema 

This skin condition—characterized by dry, scaly discolored skin that may or may not itch—is commonly caused by stress and heat. It tends to show up around the feet, elbows, knees, neck, and underarms. Avoid triggers like perfumes and detergents, which can make the irritation worse, and opt for gentle fragrance-free cleansers and moisturizers.

 Heat Rash 

When temperatures and humidity level rise, skin heats up and flushing can occur on any area of the body—with or without a bumpy, inflamed appearance. Apply a topical over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream for three days to bring down the inflammation or antifungal treatment.

FOOD:

A big wedge of watermelon

 Made up of 90 percent water, which keeps you well-hydrated. Loads of vitamins A and C content, has no fat and is packed with lycopene, an antioxidant which may aid in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease. 
 

Citrus Fruits

 Oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes, are among the most cooling of all fruits. Aside from their delicious taste, citrus fruits can keep you healthy and looking younger. Citrus is considered a super food for healthy skin due to its wide array of phytonutrients that function as antioxidants, including flavones, anthocyanin’s, polyphenols and vitamin C. Citrus is also considered to be especially important in digestion as it helps aid in the breakdown of rich and fatty foods. (Best energizers!)

Kulfi

 This will probably upset gelato fans, but of all the icy, creamy desserts out there, kulfi's best one for summer. A traditional Indian ice cream developed to melt slowly in the heat of the Indian subcontinent, kulfi tends to be creamier and denser than its Western counterparts, with flavors such as rose and mango and cola J . It's served in matkas (little clay pots) that keep it even more insulated. Street vendors sell popsicle-like versions.

Korean fried chicken

A trendy food in South Korea that’s caught on around the world, Korean fried chicken has won over as a crunchy finger food for hot weather. Koreans have perfected the holy fried chicken trinity: crispy, thin skin that still retains some gooey fat underneath, a strong spicy flavor and delicious moist meat. (Recommend it with cold beer or soju and a side of pickles.)

 Shaved milk ice

Known as “cotton ice” in Chinese, this Taiwanese dessert has become popular across East Asia in the last few years. Instead of plain crushed ice, this version is made with frozen condensed milk that's run through a shaving machine to create thin sheets of white milk ice that piles up in folds.

Affogato

Affogato means "drowned" in Italian, and we really wouldn’t mind being dunked into a sea of this Italian dessert. A scoop of vanilla gelato is scooped into a cup and a shot of hot espresso is poured on top. The result is a beautiful swirl of semi-solid ice cream and streaks of golden, bitter coffee. Adding a shot of Amaretto or coffee liqueur ups the flavor.

Lemonades & Limeades

Made for sitting on the porch.

·         Honey Limeade

·         Pepper-Mint Limeade

·         Best Lemonade Ever

Juice Drinks

 Favorite fruit coolers.

·         Cool Watermelon Slushes

·         Rhubarb Slush

·         Lemon Berry Slushy

·         Pinna Colada Slush

·         Pineapple Orange Slush

Sodas & Floats

 Old-time refreshers.

·         Cherry Fizz

·         Vermont Maple Float

·          Lemon Lime Float

·         Gourmet Root Beer Float

·         Italian Cream Soda

Iced Coffee

 Caffeinated quenchers

·         Cappuccino Cooler ·         Easy Iced Coffee ·         Iced Mochas ·         Cappuccino on Ice ·         Vietnamese Iced Coffee CLOTHING:

Wicking fabrics Are man-made fabrics designed to relieve body of perspiration by “wicking” moisture away from the body and speeding up the evaporation process, thus keeping the body at a stable temperature. These fabrics are most commonly used in athletic or specific outdoor clothing, and they help keep the body cool during activity. These fabrics are made with a special weaving process that works in tandem with the body’s cooling process. Manufacturers who use these fabrics have adjusted the weave or added special coatings to manipulate the fabric to their needs. Cotton and linen: all-time favorite fabrics to chill in heat! HOME :      It's hot enough to melt a bushman's boots. But cranking up the air-conditioning is not the only way to stay cool. Try a desert trick. When the air outside is dry and cooler than the air inside, hang a damp sheet in an open window. Incoming breezes are cooled by the evaporating water.  Block the sun. Closing curtains and blinds (ideally with sun-deflecting white on the window side) can reduce the amount of heat that passes into your home by as much as 45 percent. Make a "cold compress." Fill a cotton sock with rice, tie the sock with twine, and freeze it for two hours before bedtime. Then slide it between the sheets. Rice retains cold for a long period because it's dense and starchy. If not any of above all works… just jump into a nearby pool and have a cool poolside party swaying your hands, legs and hairs   Vitasta