Sunday

Three Wishes



"Keep your best wishes close to your heart and watch what happens!" -- Tony DeLiso

Wishes are those magical commands which we keep on chanting to the invisible God or to the extant universe. We believe that there is someone who is attentively listening to our wishes, howsoever trivial they are. Hence, we keep on wishing. But the important thing is we often ignore the fact that we are required to put in some efforts also to make them come true. No miracle happens without sweating a little. So do wish and do act. And then there will be no denying the fact that the entire universe will conspire together to make your wish come true. So here are my three ardent wishes which I hope will come true very soon.

 Wish#1 To be calm
In today's hyperactive world, one is judged for every little act he does, every single word he says. People are quick to pass on their judgement. They barely have time to analyse why one did so/ said so. They just see the final outcome and give their verdict. It is important not to lose your cool but stick with your action to defy their perspective. For instance, I decide not to attend school tomorrow as I have to deliver a speech and I have the fear of speaking in front of hundred faces. As a result my teacher will rebuke me , my friend will give me a sinister smile, my parents will scold me but I should be able to receive this criticism in a positive way and do away with my fear of public speaking by talking loud to myself, rehearsing in front of my pet, announcing myself in the family and with these baby steps, my wish of facing hundred odd faces with confidence will come true. All I have to do is be calm and work towards honing the skill. If I retaliate back to my teacher with some baseless arguments, it would be a sheer waste of time and energy. So it would be wise to put my anger in a constructive manner to shine out.

Wish#2 To help more
Everyone is fighting their own battle howsoever big or small. One should be compassionate enough to understand others' situation and do the needful. Often we relate compassion with someone who is poor, miserable or grief-struck. But real compassion should be with every person you meet, you interact with. It may be your milkman, your teacher, your colleague , your maid, your friend , the customer standing in queue along with you or the beggar you always find on your way. Sometimes what others expect is just an ear to listen to them, or just some soothing words to boost them. Help is not always materialistic. It is often entwined with emotions. So I wish to be more compassionate to every person I meet, to make him/her more comfortable, to make him/her feel pleasant when I'm around them.

Wish#3 To travel more
I want to make memories all over the world. Travelling enhances one's perception, adds to his experiences, makes him meet new faces, allows him to explore other cultures, makes him more tolerant. In short, allows him to be a reflection of the entire cosmos. "Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer." And yes I want to be richer than yesterday with each day travelling to explore more and more and allow my above two wishes to execute. 

Every wish is just like the sun and the moon. They do come true when their time comes. "Do you stop believing in the moon, just because the sun comes up?" Allow each wish to take its time to nourish itself and peep out in real.



Just never stop wishing as miracles do happen and you never know when you are the NEXT. Wishes sustain hope and hope sustains life. So keep wishing and keep acting !




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

Gracias!

  

Tuesday

Book Review : The Peshwa - The Lion and the Stallion




About the Book


Title: The Peshwa - The lion and the Stallion
Author: Ram Sivasankaran
Publisher: Westland Ltd.
ISBN: 978-93-85724-21-3
No. of Pages: 338
Price: 350 INR
Genre: Historical Fiction

About the Author


Ram Sivasankaran was born in Madras, India, but has spent most of his life abroad, largely in the Middle East and the USA. He was brought up on stories from Hindu legend and the great epics and classics of both India and the West. In addition to being a passionate student of history in school, Ram has built a keen interest in stories of valour, heroism, chivalry, beauty and romance.

A day-dreamer of all sorts, Ram believes deeply in the power of imagination- the mind being the canvas on which even the seemingly talentless can create new universes, resurrect eras long gone, bring the gods to life and even revive heroes and damsels of yore. Ram makes his debut with a historical novel on one of the greatest and yet, to an extent, a less-known figure from Indian history - Bajirao Bhat, Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy, mighty warrior, hopeless romantic and one of the most dazzling examples of wartime courage, military leadership and battle strategy.

The Cover Speaks


The cover of the book portraying the Peshwa with his all time companion horse Surya does justice with the title and the plot. 'The Peshwa - The Lion and the Stallion' is quite a thought provoking title. At first I thought, the Lion refers to the Peshwa and Stallion to his horse Surya. But after gorging on the pages, I found that the Mughal Vazir, Nizam Ul Mulk when battled against Peshwa Bajirao, he bragged himself as the lion engraved on the Mughal flag and Peshwa as the Stallion. But what became a history befits as the title of the book. Peshwa Bajirao, the real Lion had beaten the stallion Nizam and became the invincible.

Synopsis


It is the 18th century and despite the dominant Mughal rule, the Maratha Confederacy has established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the Indian subcontinent. The fragile peace between the two powers is threatened when Balaji Vishvanath Bhat, Peshwa of the Confederacy, foils the plans of Nizam Ul Mulk of the Mughal Empire, and asserts the power of the Marathas. However, little does the Peshwa know that he has dealt the Nizam an unintended wound - one with roots in his mysterious past and one that he would seek to avenge till his last breath.

When the Peshwa surrenders his life to a terminal illness dark clouds gather over the Confederacy as it is threatened by a Mughal invasion as well as an internal rebellion.

All the while a passive spectator, the Peshwa's son, Bajirao Bhat, now needs to rise beyond the grief of his father's passing, his scant military and administrative experience, and his intense love for his wife and newborn son to rescue everything he holds dear. Will the young man be able to protect the Confederacy from internal strife and crush  the armies of the Empire all while battling inner demons?

Will he live up to his title of Peshwa?

Book Review


If you have watched the Bollywood historical film -Bajirao Mastani and were quite enthralled by the plot then you are sure to be fallen for this novel. It can be considered more of as a Part - I of the movie. The novel puts life to the valiant Maratha Peshwa - Bajirao Bhat and the pages are smeared into the events right from his childhood when he used to play with the toy sword while his father Peshwa Balaji Vishvanath Bhat showered him with the brave stories from the Maratha war to his becoming a Peshwa and doing justice to his title.

The father of Bajirao while being incumbent Peshwa got the Chhathrapathi Shahu's  mother released from the Mughal captivity and became more worthy, respectful and dear to Shahu and the subjects alike.

The conversations between the Peshwa and his young to-be Peshwa son rallies the words of wisdom pouring out right from the mouth of the very wise Peshwa which are both enlightening as well as heart warming. 

Bajirao's struggle to restrain his father from leaving him to cancer is quite well woven. The young Peshwa and his encounter with the senapati -turned-traitor Dabhade is quite gripping where he puts his honor at stake before the Empire and does away with the enemy by breaking the rules of parlay. While at the other end, Kashibai, Peshwa's consort justifies his act in the Maratha court putting silence to all the wagging fingers showing the love of that era.

One question that intrigues me is that was Dabhade punished for what we are fighting today, reservation? He fought against the hereditary incumbency of Maratha positions and favored meritocracy till his death,on seeing his equally capable friend and a spirited fighter, Uttam being given the position of a common soldier while he being offered the position of senapati.

The events unfold at a good pace paving way for the story to flow at a pace.

Nizam Ul Mulk's revenge for his lost son from the Peshwa causes the war between the Marathas and Mughals where young Peshwa Bajirao was so novice to see a battle for the first time. How does he protect the Maratha prestige? How his love for his family saves him from the hands of the beast Bangash? How does he deal with the defeated Nizam? is all woven so immaculately that the reader feels the whole scene playing live in front of him. 

Kudos Ram!for penning down a historical story with such great details and profusely loaded with all emotions.

The Epilogue of the book introduces the Princess of Bundelkhand- Mastani giving a clear indication of a sequel. Many like me who have read this piece are awaiting the next. I wish Ram all the success and want him to hear that his work has been endorsed by many and are awaiting for the next to praise him more.

My Rating
4/5

Öbrìgadò!
 

Monday

धुंधली तख्ती




सुबह की चाय की प्याली 
से  उड़ती कुनकुनी भाप 
जब ठहर जाती मेरे चश्मे पर
धुंधला सा देने लगता दिखाई 
पर छूट ना पाती हाथ से प्याली 
दोस्ती की प्याली भी ना छूट पायी अब तक
जब धुंधला सी गयी है यादों की तख्ती 
क्योंकि पता है जब भाप होगी ठंडी
तब चल पड़ेगी यारों की कश्ती 

---सुरभि 


Öbrìgadò! 



 

The Shades and the Brush


Packed was I in a small crystal clear bottle, I was its identity
The blue bottle, the red one or the green goblet
Though when around you all time, I am not given fame
My fame comes with my name
But where is my name?

The flower is adored for its vibrant delicacy
The pretty butterfly for its colorful flutter
The sky for its iridescent ambit
The rainbow for its seven 'me'
Sometimes I wonder if it's me
Or the bodies carrying me
Who is adored more ?
Fuddles me to the core !

One day sitting inside a tiny tube
I was resting inside the dark lube
Suddenly someone pressed me
Scuffled me
Strangled me
Tussled I, came out with a heavy breath
Breathing freely I was at ease
A slender stick with soft fiber
fondled me
A little shy I was at such an endearing gesture
Coaxing me gently
I felt the quiver
I mingled in him in a trice
like the way you gulp a mango slice

No longer I was me, captivated in a color tube
here I was free and liberated
with the slender brush
Oh sorry! a colorful brush
embarked on an advent to a majestic portrait
I was now a colored brush brushing along the shades of me
on a white canvas 
leaving behind my indelible imprints.



Öbrìgadò!
JJJ
 

Sunday

उम्मीद


उम्मीद का तारा दूर गगन में , है सबको दिखता
लेकिन क्या वो तारा है मुझको तकता ?
जब भी देखूँ टिमटिमाते उसको 
आस करे गुदगुदी मुझको 
मानो आस हो उम्मीद की सखी 
संग संग जो खेले आँख मिचौली |

थाम कर हाथ आस का, जाऊं मैं उम्मीद को पकड़ने
चालाक उम्मीद बैठे छिप के खिड़की के पीछे 
खोल दरवाज़ा आहिस्ता , जाऊं मैं धीमे -धीमे 
दबे पाँव आस संग ढूँढूं मैं उम्मीद को 
बैठे जो दूर गगन में खिड़की के पीछे 

ज्यों ही खोलू मैं खिड़की 
त्यों ही उम्मीद मुस्कुराये 
और आस हिलौरें खाए |
तकूँ जब मैं दूर बैठी उम्मीद को
जानू मैं कही तो है इसको देखा पहले 
घुमा के नज़र देखूं जब आस को
तो पाऊँ ये तो है कुछ उम्मीद-सी 
आस लगे उम्मीद की परछाई |

समझ आये कुछ देर के बाद 
ओ बुद्धू ! ये उम्मीद ही तो है आस 
जो आस है, वही तो है उम्मीद 
जो लगे दूर वो सच में है पास 
बस नजरिये की है बात |

आज मिल कर उम्मीद-सी आस से
या यूँ कहूँ आस-सी उम्मीद से
हो रही है बहुत ख़ुशी 
क्यूंकि जिसको ढूंढा गली गली
मिली वो मुझको अपनी गली |




Öbrìgadò!
JJJ
 

Compassionate Clowning : Silly Smiles Take You Miles

The tagline of my blog says, Silly Smiles take you Miles... it's wonderful to live your saying, your belief and perceive it in real. It's actually inexplicable how you feel when your words become alive with their real meaning and make you dance to their tune. 

Since my childhood, I had always been fascinated by Clowns. When we used to play cards, I always used to wonder why the joker is always left out. I used to feel very bad for that Joker card being sequestered and instead used to keep it in my deck. Whenever there was a circus show in the town, I was all excited not to see the lions and elephants dancing but the clown juggling the balls and deliberately making fall his red nose or colorful curls instilling laughter in the air. I always thought how difficult it is to make someone else laugh, to make them forget about their pain and misery and soak them in the wave of joy and laughter. This very thought always provoked me and apparently brimmed in the form of my maiden poem Spreading Smiles.

I had never thought that the joker so much playful in my subconscious mind will attract me to play its role one day. These lines are popping up in my mind from James Allen's , "As a Man Thinketh",

Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes,
And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes
The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,
Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills: —
He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:
Environment is but his looking-glass.

So, I became a clown. Yes, I did. I dissolved my identity to embark on the journey of spreading love and happiness. And the first lesson I learnt was to be compassionate. Yes, in the world where we are all confined to our tiny cubicles unaware of the person sitting at our backside but communicating to unseen souls through social media, are we compassionate enough to hear the sob of the person sitting beside us. Have we ever noticed why the person who was coming regularly, occupying the seat next to us has suddenly stopped coming. Do we ever bother to ask a person how he is doing after a long sick leave. Are we really compassionate or we have forgotten what being compassionate means.

I became a Clown, not just a clown but a compassionate clown to heal the tiny souls undergoing excruciating pain with a little love and happiness. As my doctor friend says, "laughter helps in fighting stress. It reduces pain by releasing endorphins (the body's natural painkiller), boosts the immune system by increasing the level of T cells & lowering serum cortisol levels, thereby promoting a positive outlook. Laughter helps people to cope with difficult situations and create loving and helpful bonds which aids the healing process."

Compassionate Clowning is an initiative taken up by compassionate clowns to visit hospitals and help the doctors and patients in their battle with their sword of laughter fighting away the pain and distress. Compassionate Clowns is a group of volunteers where anybody and everybody is welcomed with warmth and love. The volunteers gather every weekend in different cities and visit the nearby hospitals to infuse the air of ailing pain with refreshing laughter and happiness. This clowning activity is carried out in different cities of India like Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Rajkot. You can easily connect with the nearest clowning group at their facebook page and volunteer for the noble cause -https://www.facebook.com/CompassionateClown

I took the new year resolution to be more compassionate and became the clown with a red nose and pink cheeks at Gujarat Cancer Society Hospital, Ahmedabad. The clowns are regularly visiting the children suffering from cancer being treated at this hospital. Every saturday it seems as if the entire children ward awaits their arrival. From parents to doctors to hospital staff to the anxiously waiting tiny tots.

There's nothing more contagious than the laughter of young toons. 
As the clowns dress up, paint their faces, the passing-by patients and visitors curiously look at us for being so colorful and vibrant at a morbid place. And we greet them with our vivacious smiles and joy.
Clowns with the Hospital Staff
As this was my first time being a clown, we started off with painting our faces red and yellow. Then we made a circle holding hands to share the positive vibes amongst ourselves and take the oath to spread it forward with everybody we come in contact with.

Clowns taking the pledge
I was the engine of this session. Yeah, the chhuk chhuk gadi engine ;) We entered the children ward like a vibrant colorful train. The children resting in their beds woke up and smiled. So, finally the jokers are here. We were late by half an hour and one child was very angry. See the receptivity of the child for warmth and happiness that he refrains to wait by even a few minutes.

Why are you late today?? Can't you see me waiting for you with this mickey specs?
The clowns are in action now. They have dissolved their identity of a student, of a job seeker, of a tired professional. They are just the clowns saying sorry to the little child by dancing to his favourite song.
Acchi Nani, Pyaari Nani, Maan jao na ;)
As it was the new year, so we had carried new year hand-made cards for all the children wishing them a bright and healthy new year. We chatted with them like our own siblings and asked them to write down their goals. "What would you like to be??" See, we are giving them a hope to achieve their dreams irrespective of the disease they are suffering. If you wish you can, then you surely can!

Happy New Year Princess!
We blew balloons, we sang with the children, we told them stories, we chit-chat with them. They love us as clowns and we love them more and more. Some children are very naughty. Afterall how can one disease take away their innocence and we make sure that never happens. 
Inky Pinky Ponky
The little energy packets energized us more than we had expected. They make us the child again and take us back to our golden days. They forget about their pain and get lost in our stories and magic tricks. 


And when you find a cute child dreaming to be SRK, the clown teaches him how to be SRK. And the entire ward becomes a movie theatre with dialogues of SRK, Bacchhan, Kapoor falling around.

Click me fast! I'm the new SRK ;)
The doctors also find it refreshing to laugh heartily and enjoy with their little patients. They always say, "I pray this child lives his dream of being a pilot."
Dr. Uncle! See my mustache, I have grown up now :P
More surprisingly, its the parents who participate in the games and feel joyful. They enjoy us as clowns and we enjoy seeing them laughing and cuddling with their kids in all joy and happiness.
A happy Tigress mum with the SherKhan :)
As we leave for the day, we share our experiences with each other and there's always a lesson learnt. We always complain of trivial things, of being deprived of this and that. But as we see the little guns fighting against all odds, we are charged up. One clown said it so rightly, "I dont come here to make them happy. I come here because they make me happy. "

All colorful Clowns:)

This is all possible with the energy of togetherness. No one clown has the strength to go alone inside the room full of pain and agony. Sometimes we too break down on seeing our brothers/sisters in such tormenting pain. But together we vibrate in symphony and blow the breeze of triumphant happiness.

We are a Happy Family :)

Smiles are contagious and we are its brand ambassadors. We spread it, gather it, spread it more and blow it around creating a peaceful happy aura. We believe in making people happy together. We are #SpreadTheVibe. Come, join us in spreading this vibe all across.

Clowns in Caps!

Öbrìgadò!
JJJ
 
This post is written for #SpreadTheVibe by youthkiawaaz

Tuesday

Book Review : The Bestseller She Wrote



About the Book
Title: The Bestseller She Wrote
Author: Ravi Subramanian
Publisher: Westland ltd. 
ISBN: 978-93-85152-38-2
No. of Pages: 391
Price: 295 INR
Genre: Romantic Fiction
  
About the Author
Ravi Subramanian, an alumnus of IIM Bengaluru, has spent two decades working his way up the ladder of power in the amazingly exciting and adrenaline-pumping world of global banks in India. Four of Ravi’s seven bestselling titles have been award winners. If God Was a Banker, won the Golden Quill Reader’s Choice Award. He won the Economist Crossword Book Award in 2012 for The Incredible Banker, The Crossword Book Award in 2013 for The Bankster and more recently in 2014 for his thriller Bankerupt. For Ravi, The Bestseller She Wrote, marks the beginning of a new chapter in his writing. A significant departure from his usual fare, this is Ravi’s first book on romantic intrigue.  

He lives in Mumbai with his wife Dharini, and daughter, Anusha. To know more about Ravi visit www.ravisubramanian.in or email him at info@ravisubramanian.in
  
You can connect with Ravi through following handles: 
 1.    Ravi Subramanian’s Website: www.Authorravis.com
3.   Twitter: @subramanianravi
4.   Instagram: Ravi Subramanian on Instagram
5.   Blog: www.Authorravi.com
6.   App - Ravi Subramanian App



The Cover Speaks
The mustard hued paperback appears pleasant to the eyes. With a girl and a spectacle-adorned boy postured back to back with the book fanning its pages sets up a nice illustration. The tag line “Love, Betrayal, Redemption…Soon to be a Motion Picture” got me a little confused. It leaves an impression as if this story is also knocking at the door of Bollywood and soon we will be sitting in front of the big screen, munching the popcorns to find out what masala has been put in the original story plot. Well, after reading the novel, my confusion wafted in the air.

Synopsis

Paperback king Aditya Kapoor’s life was straight out of modern man’s fantasy. His literary stardom is perfectly balanced by a loving wife and a spectacular career. With everything he touches turns to gold, Aditya is on a winning streak.

Shreya Kaushik is a student with heart full of ambition. Young, beautiful and reckless, Shreya speaks her mind and obsessively chases after what she wants. And what she wants is to be a bestselling author.

What happens when their worlds collide? Is it possible to love two people at same time? Can real ambition come in the way of blind passion? Can trust once broken, be regained?

Master storyteller Ravi Subramanian delves into the glitzy world of bestsellers and uncovers a risky dalliance between a superstar novelist and his alluring protégé.

The Bestseller She Wrote is a combustible cocktail of love, betrayal and redemption.

Book Review
When an author is a banker and all his novels carry a glimpse of his profession, an overwhelming ride full of thrill and exhilaration. He might like to experiment with his pen and put it to a test. Ravi also tried his hands on the most written and talked upon genre – love/romance popular in the market with readers of all age groups. Let’s find out whether he was able to sink the reader in his ocean of love or they found it the already-read-so-many-times story.

The protagonist of the story Aditya, is a successful banker as well as a best-selling author. At the prima-facie, it appears he is living a picture-perfect life with stardom on one side and a loving wife on the other. But as they say, nothing is perfect. And a young beauty with brains knocks in the starry life of Aditya. With God Eros standing behind, Aditya cannot stop himself from going weak and falls for the girl Shreya, a student of IIM-B who dreams of being a successful author like him. 

The story paces with some romantic development in the plot and melodrama too. After watching so many Indian soaps and Bollywood films, it becomes easy for a reader to guess the next scene in the queue. At many points this happens and you are aware of what is next in the few pages. It also references to real world personas like Chetan Bhagat, Ashwin Sanghi, Anurag Kashyap which I found a bit sarcastic. 

Though the author tried well to keep the readers engrossed and present a thrilling climax but with his previous works, he has made readers expect much more than this. Aditya's wife discovers of his affairs and his life turns upside town. To exacerbate it, the print media plays a role in tarnishing his image by exposing him. Who is behind this foul play? Is it Shreya's way of catching the eyes? Will it help her in becoming a best seller? These questions certainly pop-up while reading the books. So read it and find out what happens next. 

You can grab a copy of this book at Amazon or Flipkart .

My Rating
 3/5


Öbrìgadò!
JJJ

   
I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!