Lovely Dark And Deep

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.
Standing at the blackboard black, completed the Miss.
 

Blowing in the breeze

Roaming in the dreamland seized
Caught was I with eyes ceased
Leaving me cold- freeze.
‘Can you please explain what Robert meant?’

 

Stupefied by the sudden trance
Unable to make the difference
Between the reel and the real
What the hell is Miss doing here?
 

Banged the stick on the desk

Tell me miss Silk Straight?
Whaaat??? eloped from my mouth
Frost and his prose, tickled my friend

 

Still numb and dazed
I dozed off with eyes wide open
And  for the pretence left the mouth open
Oh! Yes
The tresses are lovely, dark and creep
But I have Sunsilk perfect straight to keep
And straight tresses to flaunt before I sleep
And straight tresses to flaunt before I sleep

 

 

Wake up! The Calpurnia drama is over now

We are on the next prose now
My friend whispered.
But I was still delivering my dialogues
Pleading Caesar not to go to Senate today
I vow you on my Silk Straights
Please don’t go.
Caesar gently caressed my tresses so straight
“I’m going to thank Yuko Yamashita
For getting  back my rocking Calpu with perfect locks”
 

She shook me

Bringing me back from yesterday’s  stage drama
Yelled she
Get out and stand in the sun
Let the sun shine on your Sunsilk-ed straights
 

Drooped down with eyes open

I made my way to the door
From behind the last benches
Gazing was Caesar at my tresses
Swinging straight down my waist
Sneaked he in a low voice
Perfect locks
Simply rocks
Sun shone bright
But the tresses fought right
Straight locks locked the yoke
Straight end to a creepy tale
Sunsilk made the duo sail.

Hioy'oy Hoi Polloi
JJJ

This post is a part of the contest powered by Sunsilk Perfect Straight Hair initiative & Indiblogger.

Beautiful Ends

Every story has an ending

If it ends beautiful
The whole panorama is bliss
If it ends gloomy
The whole picturesque is grotesque
If it doesn’t end
Ahha! Then sit back to watch the end.
 

I too had a story

A beautiful story
With a to-be beautiful ending
But then what are villains meant for?
They barged into the story
To spoil my cast
To spoil my story.
 

Villain No-1 Sunshine

Life ain’t all sunshine and rainbows
But as the sun shone more
My story’s rainbow faded more and more
Dry and frizzy bowed the story
Leaving the ends in bits and splits.

 

Villain No. 2 Colour

Colours fill the black and white voids
Loving  the hues imbibing the pearlescent sparks
But colour became the colourful villain.
Stripping off the protective layer
It stripped off my shine
Dull and damaged appeared my story

 

Villain No.3 Cool Air
Gentle breeze wooing the wisps
Lovely romance curling tufts
Cooling air soothing the locks
Entwining the locks in tangled locks.

 

Villain No. 4 Stylo style
The trending trends framed my story
Funky and crooked wave gurgled round
Rounds and straights were pressed again and again.
The style isle irked my story.

 

Villain No. 5 Jinxy comb

Seen as a saviour
To unwind the tangled
When gets angry
Seethes in the puddle
All muddled with heavy strokes
Hovers my story as grey jinx.
 

5 Villains 1 Hero Dove

Every story has some cruel villains
Which demands for a shrewd hero
Aphrodite’s Dove came to rescue
With split end Rescue system
Ending my story with a beautiful end
The lovely strands
All thick and smooth
Braided into tails
Ended in a happy tale.

Hioy'oy Hoi Polloi
JJJ

This post is the part of ‘Beautiful ends to your beautiful braids’. Contest by Dove Split Ends Rescue System in association with Indiblogger.in.

Mystic White

White words on white paper
Want to express a lot
But dont know the manner
The white engulfs another white
Leaving the white (paper) blank behind
Eventually I got keyed as callous.
But the white holds all the seven
And so do me as stoic and stirred
A diamond is needed to look
Through the plain light
Displaying vivid iridescent colours.


Hioy'oy Hoi Polloi
JJJ

My Signature Recipe- Desi Tadka

Making of Dal-Bati.

I'm a proud Rajasthani. And half of the people call us 'Dal-Bati' :P. I experienced this when I entered the college where the students streamed in from almost every state of India. And the college guys know it very well that you are hardly called by your official name. You are renamed as per your locality, behaviour, traits and may be eating habit. :P

 

The most annoying thing about my college is that we are kicked out of the college hostel by the college authorities after the 1st year. How pathetic :( And then begins the search of a new room with a new roomie.

A girl from Kerala became my new roomie and then started the most thrilling journey of my collegista. It has been two years since we are living in the Arihant-Villa. These three years we both experienced the fusion of our culture, our languages and our eating habits. I being an idli-dosa lover always ask her to bring the same from her home when she comes back after the vacations.

She often calls me 'Bafla'  (a Rajasthani dish- brother of bati). I have told her many-a-times that being Rajasthani doesn't mean we eat dal-bati daily. We cook dal-bati when there's some special occasion. And prompt comes her reply, "I'm waiting for that special occasion". She often gave me the hint of her desire to savour this special dish now and then. And I always snubbed her idea saying,"I'm no chef. Come with me in a vacation and I'll make you eat mom-made- dal-bati daily." She then just drops her idea and I end up convincing her to make dal-bati ONE DAY.

 

Meanwhile Blogadda launched this contest. But alas! we didn't have kitchen to cook up something for the contest. So, I dropped the idea but the instinct was compelling me to participate. And where there is a will, there is a way and hence came that ONE DAY.

7th March was Neha's birthday, our land-lord's daughter. Just like my roomie, she too is a dal-bati fan. Accidentally, aunty ( Neha's mother) slipped off the stairs and broke her right arm. A tragic incident just before her special day. But I tell you Rajasthanis are very kind and helpful. However, the family had to cancel the birthday party but I assured aunty of making Neha feel the best with a small family-party. This how I got the chance to show everyone my culinary art and participate in Blogadda's contest. Thank-you Blogadda to give me a chance to make the birthday girl feel special, to finally satiate my roomie and to make everyone in the HOME happy. Yeah! in Arihant Villa, never for a day, I felt as if I'm living away from my home. The landlords are more of a family.

 

 

Little B'day Girl.

So, then began the preparation of party, the most simple celebration with more of the family love and Blogadda's boost-up. As I told you above we cook dal-bati only on special occasion. So, I decided to serve the birthday girl with her favourite cuisine.Our landlord are Jains so onion-garlic are the taboo in their kitchen. Hence, I prepared the Desi-Jain-Thali. Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

 

For Bati

5 cups of wheat flour ( we were 5 memebers)

1/2 teaspoon ajawain (caraway seeds)

1/2 teaspoon sauf (aniseeds)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon Fortune rice bran oil ( for soft and fluffy bati)

Water for kneading the dough

 

For Dal

1 cup of split black gram (urad dal)

1/2 cup of split gram ( chana dal)

1/2 cup of split green moong dal (optional)

2 tablespoon Fortune rice bran oil

a pich of hing (asfoetida)

1 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoon chilli powder

salt to taste

3 cups of water

coriander leaves to garnish

Recipe

 

For Bati

1. Mix flour, ajwain, turmeric, sauf and salt in a bowl.

2. Add the fortune rice bran oil in the mixture.

3. Add water and knead the mixture into tight dough.

4. Take out small chunks of dough and roll them into small balls.

5. Place the dough balls in a preheated oven.

6. Roast them till the crust turns light-brown and small cracks appear in the balls.

 

 

Wheat flour  mixed with ajawain , turmeric and salt.

Add some fortune oil in the flour.

Make balls out of the dough.

Preheat the oven.



Roast the batis in the oven.

 

For Dal

1. Mix all the dals in a large bowl and soak them for 30 minutes.

2. Boil the soaked dal in a pan.

3. In a separate pan, put some fortune rice bran oil.

4. Add hing and jeera to the oil when hot.

5. When jeera starts to crackle, add the chopped green chilly ( chopped onions and garlic too if you are not a jain).

6. Cook the mixture till the onions turn light brown.

7. Add turmeric, chilli powder and salt and some water.

8. Cook it for 3 minutes.

9. Add the boiled dal and bring the whole misture to boil.

10. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.

Put some Fortune oil in a pan.



Masala Tadka

Healthy N spicy Dal.

Ready to Eat

 

1. Soak the batis in Fortune rice bran oil.

2. Tomatoes make up the best salad. So slice them.

3. A little of lemon to the dal makes it more tangy. So have a slice of lemon.

4. If you need more of spicy, then have some whole green chilly too.

5. The Jains eat papads with almost every meal. So roast  some chana papad/ moon papad. They are lusciously crispy.

6. Place all these in a thali and serve the special Desi-Jain-Thali.

 

 

Tomato Salad.

Desi Thali.

What are you waiting for??? Grab the dal-bati. The dish is all yours. Isn't it lip-smacking???

Ready! Steady! Eat!

 

 

About Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil



The Fortune Rice Bran oil is the new hero in our landlord's kitchen. I have asked at my home too to bring a bottle for the next dal-bati session. Well! you all would be wondering what's new in this oil. Then let me tell you. It's not just ordinary edible oil instead a 100% rice bran oil assuring 100% health. Known as 'Heart Oil', the top ten benefits of 100% rice bran oil are :

1.Heart friendly.
2.Improves HDL/LDL ratio. Healthier Heart.
3. Cleaner blood vessels.
4.Balanced nutrition. Balanced health.
5. Anti-cancer properties.
6.Improves skin tone and delays wrinkle formation.
7.Helps maintaining balance of nervous system.
8. Protection against diseases.
9.Stimulates hormonal secretion. Rejuvenates health.
10. Healthier food.


A Healthy choice for your Heart.

 

To know more about this new hero, have a look at Why Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil? So what are you using today in your kitchen???



The new hero in the kitchen.

Hioy'oy Hoi Polloi
JJJ

 

This post is a part of Healthy & Tasty Recipe Contest with Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil & BlogAdda.com 

F?@K KNOWS- Book Review

 

About the book
 

Title: F?@K Knows

Author: Shailendra Singh

Publisher: Rupa Publications

ISBN: 978-81-291-2388-6

No. of Pages: 234

Price : 195 INR

Genre: Non-fiction

 

About the Author

 

Shailendra Singh has B.T.D.T.—Been there. Done that. Some know him as a ‘sports marketing guru’, some as an ‘advertising whizz’ or ‘Bollywood producer’, and many acknowledge him as a shrewd ‘dealmaker’. He’s conceptualized the most famous and long-lasting campaigns for India’s biggest brands, managed and helped adjust the jockstraps of India’s most respected cricketers, and launched the careers and egos of the country’s biggest celebrities. He’s opened a direct line of communication with India’s youth by creating massive music festivals, is emerging as Asia’s largest music promoter, and has produced over sixty Bollywood movies. He has worked on awareness campaigns for HIV/AIDS, cancer and piracy. He enjoys short trots on the beach, any sport that uses a ball, and sugar. This is his first, and hopefully not last, attempt at writing a book.

 

 

The Cover Speaks

 

The lemon-yellow colour always rings as "Yellow Yellow ,Dirty Fellow". But this book calls for, "Yellow Yellow, Attractive Fellow". The credit of cover design goes to Nicole Sottung. The half-forehead surrounded with several options depicts that everyone dreams big but do they end up living those dreams or just puff them as a thought bubble.

 

Synopsis

 

What do you want from life? Are you on the right track? Are you truly happy? If your answer to these questions is ‘F?@k knows!’, then this book is for you. Find the answers to life’s most important questions with the help of uber-successful entrepreneur, Shailendra Singh, co-founder of Percept and inceptor of Sunburn. Told with sparkling, flavourful and in-your-face humour, this book will advise you on how to:

• Find yourself (Because you’re probably lost. Admit it.)
• Follow your heart (Because if you don’t then you’ll die unhappy, you stupid f?@ker.)
• Achieve your goals (You know you want to.)
• Live life like you give a f?@k (Because…why not?)

Candid and thoughtful, F?@k Knows will show you how to really live life on your own terms, to do what you want to do and not what you have to do just because your father said so!

Book Review

The book spreads across 72 chapters. Ahhaa!!! Hold yourself. Don't drop the idea. The author has very wisely touched the different life-fundas in each chapter with 5 pages in each on an average.
The book is more of a witty one. The author has suggested some ways to read this book to get the maximum juice out of it in 'How to Read this Book'.

The author has warned to read this book in breaks and even suggested to read not more than one chapter a day. But I disagree. I'm pretty sure just like me, you won't be able to put down the book. You will end up reading the book in dreams too.

The author composed this book five years ago titled as 'YOU AND I'. With much manipulation and efforts, the book came out in print with an altogether different title and content too.

Every chapter starts with a quote which is really a Bang-on start to read through.

The book starts with the author narrating his life in brief and what caused him to find the answers of Life. As you kickstart, the reading goes smooth with few profane words adding to the laughs in the middle.

The conversation on P-3,4 shows the very truth of what we desired for? What we ended at? What holded us back?
The p-20 is a must read delve-on before you lie on the death-bed.
On p-30, he talks of a 'second brain' and ends up explaining it nicely.
On p-135, he aptly circles the difference between 'have to' and 'want to' and complies with 'You don't have to do anything'.
On p-221, he quotes, "A smile takes you many miles'. I was left bewildered when I read it. It resembles much to my signature line, "Silly smiles...Take you Miles". Had Shailendra Singh landed on my blogspace?? I wonder :O I should better file a patent for my signature line. :P

As I went through the book, I liked some of the chapters and some of the quotes very much. They all are brimming with lots of insight flavoured with creepy laughs and amusement. Hereby, I'm putting some of the quotes which will make you think for a while.
'Who the Hell are They'
'f?@k knows why you need death, to make you live.'
'I'm unhappy because I don't want to be Happy.'
'In India, we are blessed with cuisine that you eat once, but enjoy twice.'
'I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure- don't try.'
'Friends forever. Sex never.'
'Most people never grow up. They just grow old.'
'If you are happy and you know it and you really want to show it... Don't. The world might hate you for it.'

My favourite chapter 'Conversation with God' outlines how simple the life was until we made it complex just for the sake of others. It's a must read chapter.

I won't disclose anymore. Get a cup of coffee and immerse yourself in the gyaan-with-fun.

In A Nutshell

It is a book for young India, in witty and in-your-face prose, that tells you how to get it together and be happy. Funny and candid, yet rich in insights on how to really live life on your own terms, this unconventional self-help manual is unlike any book around. Give it a read and you will eventually come to know that there lies a lot more behind the very profane word.

My Rating
3.5/5

My View

While I flipped through the pages of this book, I went bonkers many-a-times. The author has clubbed the meaning of the word with various situations we come across in our day-to-day life setting you to muse while you amuse. When I ended up, I was like WOW! This word is too powerful :P 

I was reminded of an audio clip which resonates with the theme of this book. I heard it long back and Shailendra Singh has now compelled me to tune to it again.(IIT-D prof. speaks on this word at length and the students just pull their hair out). I wish I could have shared it here. As the author says,"I'm completely indemnified." The same will I say. Grab your copy if the worm is biting you to dig up the sane truth wrapped in the insane dusts.

Hioy'oy Hoi Polloi

JJJ

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

55 Fiction- Connecting

“I got the latest track today”, Pappu said.

“Really!!!  Send it to me right now”, Kappu ordered.

“Switch On the Bluetooth”.

“Yes! I have”.

“Dammit! A whole minute has passed and it’s still showing just CONNECTING”.

“Try once again”.

“What’s the name of your Bluetooth?”

“CONNECTING… with three dots”. Kappu chuckled.

 

Hioy'oy Hoi Polloi
JJJ

Little Girl with her Toy

This post has been selected amongst the Blogadda's WOW posts of the week.

 

 

She woke up everyday
To welcome the sunshine.
She wanted to catch the
Crimson scarlet light in
Her tiny glass box
So that when night falls
And darkness scares her
She could open her box
Shimmering with sparkle
And radiance just like the
Sorcerer who holds a radiant
Magic globe in his hands
Amazes her little eyes.

A little girl with her little dreams
Within her little world
With her little feet
Was running her little distance
When suddenly a toy caught
The eyes of this little girl.
The toy was gifted by her in-laws
The little hubby-toy was cute and silent
But the real hubby was cruel and adamant
He came yesterday and ate all her chocolates
They fought for the bat which broke at the end.
The little girl was scared to lose more of her chocolates
She slapped her hubby but the hubby didn't cried
"Why? Why?
Cry!! I'm hitting you. I'm slapping you.
Cry!! you bad boy!"
The hubby didn't cried instead just flapped his eyelashes.
"I won't hit you again
Please dont marry me"
The little girl pleaded to the hubby-toy.

P.S. The child marriages are still not completely uprooted from our society. The so called brainy-elders tie two children in the knot without giving a thought to the lousy repercussions. I remember one of my friend was married in his childhood when he even didn't know how to tie his shoe-lace. His father was filled with proud to bring home a daughter-in-law but the boy was sunk in shame and frustration. He no longer played with his fellow friends. All the time he used to hide from their comments teasing him of being a MAN now. He was so perturbed with this new life that he left the school and a bright star doomed. Today none of his friends know of his whereabouts. A few days back I met his father in the city who was blaming his son for bringing him shame. The boy now lives in a village farming his fields. But should he be really blamed??? It was all for the sake of his family's wish that he sacrificed his childhood, his adolescent and now his remaining life.

Another of my friend who aspired to be an army officer was gifted to the altar of child-marriage. Today when I talk to her, she brags of how happy she is in her new home. But do I look stupid enough not to gauge her heart behind her pretence. Again a bright star broke down to just a flashy streak.

There are many more in the list if one takes the account of this social evil. I feel so bad that why are we bound to abide by our family's unseasonable bids??? If it's so mandatory as per our Sanskar then I apologise but What the bullshit!

Do our culture and tradition forbids a child's freedom? Do our holy scripts preach of sending a child to the gallows of a dark destiny?? Such questions and many more have haunted me from the early days of my life but till now I have got no answers. What all I got is just " Compromise", "Respect your culture", "Value your elders", "Render your life for others' sake", " Don't ask for your happiness", "It's your destiny" and such more craps. I feel so helpless when I see my fellow-mates lost in the well of anonymity. But what all a little girl can do with her little toy is share her heart with that little toy which neither listens nor speaks, just flaps his eyes assuring her of someone who cares.

 

 

Hioy'oy Hoi Polloi

JJJ

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