WINNING OR WHINING!!!

Back in school, when I sat among groups chit chatting, discussing and pondering over the changing times, dissecting the many facets of human behaviour and science behind them (me being an engineer, logic pokes in everywhere), winning had many connotations, to each his own. 

While for some, it were getting the top marks, top degrees and dreams of building palatial homes (much like the Chatur Ramalingam of 3 Idiots!), for others, which included me, it was a parallel world of hidden dreams. Dreams, best known to us! Everybody had aspirations and different struggles. To some wooing popular girls or having trophy girlfriends was a win (in the race for fame), to others, flashing latest gadgets in the mart was a win ( in the race for being a gizmo freak). Some had targets, of getting into white collared jobs or reaching the pinnacle of top IT companies, few had dreams of becoming famous by getting into some reality shows! I, on the other hand, somewhat offbeat, a little or may be too off track, had absolutely and completely complementary notions for this term! 

Winning to me was not about marks, top ranks or cash prizes. It was always associated with that ‘high’ which i felt after accomplishing the goal I had set. That one smile or rather the glee I flashed after scoring a point over my friends when it came to arguments on life and love; that hug which I won after doing something really needful for a friend; those drops of sweat that I had running through my temple after having reached the place I set as a deal (while jogging); all this was winning, all this is winning! The moment of triumph to me!

If I complete a book in a day and I read it really well, I win. If I jog a round track of 8 km successfully in one go, I win. If I complete 50% of the course chapters with complete understanding before the university exam, I win. If I am able to clarify my students’ queries satisfactorily and prevent from learning some wrong concept, I win. If I can pay my own bus fare, with my very own hard earned money, I win. If I can help a blind man cross a road and not walk past him, I win. If I decide to lose weight but can’t, yet I smile and look forward to another day’s plan and not crib over it, I win. If I get over the sickening news of rapes and murders flashed everyday on television and yet allow my young ones to face the world confidently and not be scared, I win. If I can earn my family’s respect and trust with my deeds, I win. If I can have a cup of tea peacefully every morning, even in solitude, I win. I win over the hectic lives, the pace of erratic human existence! If I can make people see reason in loving and marrying a guy of my choice, I win. If I can walk with my partner through the life’s many phases, I win. If I can rear my child to grow to respect women and not think of them as an object ever, I win. If I can build a home for my parents, however small it may be, I win. If I can do 10 % of what my parents have done for me, for them, I win. Winning has nothing to do with being the richest man on the face of earth. 

Winning has nothing to do with topping universitiesor reaching the moon. Winning is building a lovable family, brooding love andemotions, knowledge and conscience, thoughts and wisdom; in times of turbulenceand peace; in times of exultation and melancholy; in times of distress and excitement!Winning is never flashy, never whining, never degrading; winning is a personal winwin innings!

http://conclave.intoday.in/

Annual feedback ! 2014's on the go!

Hi guys. As we welcome 2014, it strikes me that i have been writing for many years now, though the blog came up in 2010, a little late than what it should have been. Anyway, i gather that there are a few, and may i say, very few staunch followers who care to read all the posts put up here. To those, i appeal, please help me improve. i call for you suggestions, be it about the blog layout, articles, poems, themes, pictures, etc; do tell me what you would like to see here and what you expect me to write on. Frankly, i am pretty impulsive and hence writing articles/poems doesn't come regularly to me but whenevr it does, it's cats and dogs! :) So guys, feedback, suggestions, crtique... please feel free to tell me. And may this year , I fulfill your expectations better :)

Have a great year ahead!

Welcome 2014 :)

Ah! So we completed another year.
 Another year of smiles and tears,
another year of joys and turmoil,
another year of laziness and toil,
another year of strong and fragile,
another year of scams and donations,
another year of political upheavals,
another year of cinema and music,
another year of religion and brawl,
another year of joys and ahoys,
another year of rueful eyes and
another year of love and sighs!

So many forms, so many shapes,
life of all, different path it takes
petrified of tomorrow, we do not stop dreams
nowhere does, a heart not screams
we get some of what we desire
the rest Allah gives to others
we pray for all and so do others
thus He grants us all,
a pie of this and a pie of that
 He keeps his mercy cover us all.

Rejoice, recover, laugh I say,
happiness and laughter will sweep the way
don't let spirits low, come what may
have fun, be hep and hay!

An interview with Rita Lee Chapman

With immense pleasure, I hereby present to you friends, an interview with Ms Rita Lee Chapman, a renowned author whose second book is now out in the market. I must acknowledge the role of Goodreads in placing me in touch with Rita and several other authors and genuine readers out there who, most sincerely come forward to review and discuss the common love of all- books!! Now coming back to the interview, let me part with a little introduction to Rita.

Rita Lee Chapman was born in the UK and came to Australia in her early twenties. It was only when she retired to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland that she wrote her first novel “Missing in Egypt” a romantic travel mystery. 

“This fulfils a lifelong ambition for me. In primary school I wrote long stories but since then my writing had been restricted to business correspondence, press releases and letters home to my family! “

Her second book, Winston - A Horse's Tale is one for horse lovers from teenagers upwards.

Let us start with now.

1.      Tell us something about your childhood and life which would help us open up a little.

Hi Vandana.  I was born in London and moved to Australia in my early twenties.  I spent my working life in Sydney before moving to Queensland to retire.

2.      Now that we already know who Rita is, we would like to know what inspired you to write and when did you actually start writing? What was your first composition like?

I loved writing stories in English class at school and always wrote far more than was required!  My best marks were for a booklet on how to look after your pets.  I started my latest book Winston – A Horse’s Tale several years ago on a typewriter and foolscap paper!  I never found time to finish a book when I was working and only went looking for it and a few other half-started stories after I had published Missing in Egypt.

3.      Since you have already seen success with your first novel: Missing in Egypt, how do you plan to better your distribution and marketing process with this second book of yours?

I’d love to say that Missing in Egypt was a resounding success but, to be honest, it wasn’t.  It is very hard to promote and market yourself, particularly if you are trying to write your next book.  I think Winston – A Horse’s Tale will be easier to target as it’s for horse lovers, whereas Missing in Egypt was a romantic travel mystery and therefore had a more general appeal.

4.      Do you have any agent? Do you recommend one to young and aspiring authors?

No, I don’t have an agent and haven’t looked for one.  For that reason I can’t really say whether an agent is helpful or an added expense.

5.      Now that we have already spoken about the seller side, I am curious to know about the Winston: A horse’s tale. Please tell us something about your book?

Winston is one for horse lovers from teenagers upwards!  He is a good-looking palomino horse whose life involves several different owners and many adventures.  As you read his story, told by Winston himself, you will appreciate horse ownership from the horse’s point of view.  Born on a country property in Australia, Winston tells of his breaking-in and education and the different people he encounters – good, bad and ignorant.  As well as his own story, Winston includes the experiences of other horses he meets along life’s way. 

Whether it’s jumping, eventing, hunting or just hacking, Winston tries hard to please his rider. Follow his successes and his failures from his breaking-in to his show jumping win. It is an eventful life – the story of one Australian horse out of thousands, but one that you will remember!

6.      Rita, I am sure your followers are curious to know whether you are working on any other book at the moment or not?  Please delight us.

I have written the first few chapters of my next book, but it is on hold whilst I promote Winston.

7.      We can see a variety in your work. Your first book was a romantic travel mystery and the second one is based on your love for horses. May we expect the next one to be different from any of these?

Yes, I am trying my hand at a crime thriller this time.

8.      So, who is the hero of the book? Any favourite quote from the book?

The lead character is female but that is all I can say at this stage.

9.      Did you face any difficulties while writing? Was there any research involved? Any confession which you want to make?

Ooh!  That’s a sneaky question!  My first book was challenging because I didn’t know where it was going.  Also I had to check my facts in describing the various Egyptian temples.  With Winston – A Horse’s Tale the words flowed and I found it easy to write.  My confession?  I found some small errors in Missing in Egypt and republished it, so hopefully it is now “perfect”.

10.  Okay so as we move towards the last part of this interesting interview, may I ask you what do you have to say about the digital platform for readers today? Do you suggest socializing or latest apps for genuine readers or you prefer the good old paperback books for reading?

The arrival of Amazon and the e-book has made it possible for anyone to publish their book, which I think is amazing and certainly was for me.  It has of course meant that there are millions of books on the market and it is hard for your book to be noticed.  For the reader it is wonderful, especially with so many giveaways and free books available.  For bookshops it is obviously a problem but people still love to give books as gifts.  I personally prefer to read from a paperback and to hold a copy of your own book in your hands is a very powerful feeling. 

11.  It was a pleasure having you on our blog Rita. Would like to say something to your readers? Any parting note for us?

Yes,  I’d like to thank your readers for their interest in this interview and I hope they’ll check out my books!  Many thanks to you, Vandana, for giving me the opportunity to appear on your blogsite.  It was a pleasure to do such a well-thought out and, in some cases, challenging interview.

 With this we end with the beautiful and insightful conversation with Rita. May I tell you Rita, it was a pleasure having you :) Thank you and may your book do well and break records in terms of love with the audience and popularity. Best Wishes! 

 https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5834608.Rita_Lee_Chapman

 ये कैसी तलब है, क्या एहसास है

जो दूर होकर भी तू मेरे पास है 

अंधेरो में भी रौशनी का प्रकाश है 

बंद कमरों में फिज़ा  भी तो बेहिसाब है 

हर वक़्त तेरे होने का एहसास है 

तू नहीं तो बेजान ये नमाज़ है 

तू है तो सपनों  में रंग हैं 

ये मेरी  दुनिया ही फिरदौस है 

तू हस दे तो मन खिल जाये 

मेरी रूह मेरी जान 

तुझसे ही मेरा आत्मविश्वास है 

तेरे हाथों में जब मेरा हाथ है 

जिंदगी की हर ख़ुशी पास है 

तेरी बाहों में जब मैं खो जाती हूँ 

मेरी तसल्ली का वही तो आग़ाज़ है 

तुझसे मैं, तुझसे ही रूह 

                                                           तुझमें मैं , तुझसे ही हर आरज़ू 

                                                           तुझसे दिन रात, तुझसे सुकून 

                                                              तुझसे धड़के मेरा दिल 

                                                              और तेरे होने से ही तो मैं हूँ ...

Mango tango!

:D jeez! How could you pick a piece from my plate!!! (read furious!) 

Hi friends! The season of mangoes has been here for a while now but since i was busy in having mangoes, i couldn't manage to take time out for writing :p A poor joke this may seem, but yes, the fact remains that i had been absent from promenade for the past few days..or rather months. :/ I missed writing, i missed blogging and following other bloggers too. But finally now, i seem to have figured out how my time should be managed in order to be a regular here. :) Oh it seems i have strayed from what i intended to write about. :p 

Guys, it's my favorite time of the year, not in terms of weather though, but in terms of getting what i call as my favorite-est fruit- mango!!! :D :D It never fails to amuse me how i never grow tired of having mangoes and its variants, be it a pastry, shakes, ice-creams or whatsoever! this beautiful little yellow fruit makes my heart stop with its flavor! And I know I am not alone in exhibiting this love for mangoes as all over the world mango remains among the top favorites! :D Well friends, do you know apart from pleasing out taste buds, mango has other significance too. Allow me to elaborate on some :) 

Mangifera Indica, as the science people prefer to call it, is our national fruit. Also India is the biggest producer of mangoes in the world. In Hinduism, the perfectly ripe mango is often held by Lord Ganesha as a symbol of attainment, regarding the devotees potential perfection. No Telugu/Kannada New Year's Day called Ugadi passes without eating ugadi pacchadi made with mango pieces as one of the ingredients. In Tamil Brahmin homes mango is an ingredient in making vadai paruppu on Sri Rama Navami day (Lord Ram's Birth Day) and also in preparation of pachchadi on Tamil New Year's Day.

Mango leaves are used to decorate archways and doors in Indian houses and during weddings and celebrations like Ganesh Chaturthi. Mango motifs and paisleys are widely used in different Indian embroidery styles, and are found in Kashmiri shawls, Kanchipuramsilk sarees, etc. In Tamil Nadu, the mango is considered, along with banana and jackfruit, as one of the three royal fruits occupying first place in terms of sweetness and flavor. Famous Urdu poet Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib was very fond of mangoes. There are many anecdotes concerning his love for mangoes. Rabindranath Tagore was fond of mangoes and has written poems about its flowers- aamer monjori. Poet Sa'd Bin Ard has written some poems about mangoes.

In the West Indies, the expression "to go mango walk" means to steal another person's mango fruits.

In Australia, the first tray of mangoes of the season is traditionally sold at an auction for charity.

Well enough of cultural and historical references for mangoes now. What i intended to impart was how my 

love for mangoes is not something rare. It has legendary people writing and singing for it. So friends, why 

don't you too grab your mango and have a blast! :)

Enjoy rains, enjoy mangoes!

"Sometimes friends turn their backs on you. Don’t stoop down to their level, you’ll be alright. Just remember to always be you and get on with your life."

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

i started with this one... then read a thousand splendid suns...n now eagerly waiting for and the mountains echoed..... Khalid is an amazing writer, true to his content, facts and vision.

this book build the lump in my throat a hundred times!


View all my reviews

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

a real book... of real lives... real struggles...... and a real world...... simultaneously breathing somewhere where people are not so free....not so happy......  this book changed my vision about few things....... i was left thinking,tears rolling down my eyes.......... read it for the very truth, the simplistic way with which Khalid has captured his expression.


View all my reviews

Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

hmm, this book is not meant for a general read..... i was curious to know what left the world talking and that's how i decided to read this. it's a dark novel, not as in sense of story, but it's about the darkest, meanest and even dumbest sexual fantasies of a man called Grey...... BDSM is the genre of sex it has....... if you too are curious, u may read....but it won't hold you for long


View all my reviews

Seven Days Without You - Book Review

"mai tera sarmaya hoon....

jo bhi main ban paya hoon....

tumse hi...

tumse hi...

tumse hi..."

As you open the book, these beautiful words, entwined with feelings of strong love and reverence for his wife, greet you; bringing a lovely smile on your face. 'His', being Mr Anmol Rana. A debut novel couldn't have found a better theme than the one which touches cord with the young, teenagers and the old alike- Love... true love.... ishq wala love....  Teenagers would love it for the brave and straight of their lives stuff; the young would love it for the sincerity and plainness of emotions, of circumstances and real situations that strike a cord; whereas the old will like it for the end, a little apparent though, yet something that leaves you intact with peace and feeling of fullness. 

Vishwas Rana is a normal, 23 year old guy, struggling with the myriad gaps in his life- the gap between his unemployment and new-found white collar job; the gap between his true friend notion and deceits by the same; the gap between his lust for love and ignored emotions and lastly his burgeoning manly devours(read desires) and values. How seven days away from a loved one teaches you what love,share,care is all about and how distance teaches you the true values of relationships and people, forms the essence of this book. I must say that Anmol has come up with a book that has a good mixture of things which a normal youth faces- love,heartbreaks, deceit, nervousness of people coming from town and small cities to big metros, the tearing frenzy which blinds them between trust and doubts! A gripping doze of fiction, Seven Days Without You will leave you smiling,relaxed and pondering over your relations and bunch of people whom you really adore. The book has some interesting and terrific OOPS moments which make you bundle up with laughter; wherein the "Two-in-One" episode finds a special mention from my side. :D 

Set up against the backdrop of Dilli (read Delhi), the book unfolds an interesting saga of events and mishaps that will have you play along with Vishwas, the protagonist, a middle class guy from Dehradun. You could feel his nervousness, his fear, his anger, his joy, his apprehensions, his troubles, his vulnerability and his emotions! 

All in all a wonderful and a refreshing book that'll sure get involved in good business and top-selling lists. 

My verdict: Worth a read...... :) I would rate it a 3.5/5 :) 

Release this May(2013)

Author: Anmol Rana

Pages:336

PS: Read it if you believe in true love, and if you don't,

then read it to enjoy the terrific OOPS moments! :P 

talab...

talab si lagi h

jo phansa h saansoen me

jisne jakda h phanso me

usse chhootne ki, tutne ki

ek talab si lagi h...

apne hi khayalo se, yaadoen se

iraadoen se, dil ki muraadoen se

chhootne ki, azaad hone ki

ek talab si lagi h...

mann k vichaaaroen se

behti sookhi nadiya ke

kinaroen pe dabi seepiyon ke

us gungunahat se

use khamosh karne ki, ansuna karne ki

ek talab si lagi h...

inhi pannoen se, qalam se

chhapte chand shabdoen se

aur unme base dard se, jazbaatoen se

chhoot jane ki, door ho jane ki

ek talab si lagi h...

ye tishnagi mit-ti nahin

talab bujhti nahin

isi pyaas, isi ehsaas

is talab k mitne ki

isse chhoot jane ki ek bas talab si lagi h...

sigh! life! :)

The value of life (or potency of life) is an economic value assigned to life in general. In social and political sciences, it is the marginal cost of death prevention in a certain class of circumstances. This is what Wikipedia offers us on the ‘value of life’. But can we measure lives on the scales of economic, political or social values? Or can we measure the value of our lives by the number of years we breathe? Or is it just the facts and figures about our mortality and death rates which decide the value of life on earth?

Well, for me, life is a onetime opportunity! Opportunity to breathe, to play, to eat, to sleep, to dance, to be with the ones you love, to bask in your achievements, to smile, to be happy, to be sad, to be this painter who paints his life in myriad hues! Life comes to you only once and you simple have to live it! With every single emotion that could ever be.

Living is not just shrinking and expanding your diaphragm, your lungs; it’s more than that. It’s about that plethora of things you can do while you are alive. You don’t just live, you don’t just survive; you stride ahead with passion, with rigor, with humor, with style, with joys, with contentment, with generosity, with kindness.

My values in life are clearly laid out. I love my life and I do every possible thing to make it worth its while. I spread smiles. I spread energy. I respect time. I care for my family and friends. I go out, have fun, live my moments and build memories out of them. As Bruce lee aptly put it once-

“The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.”

Live today is important to me. There may be a yesterday, there will be a future, but I know what’s in the present. I don’t burden myself with worries of tomorrow and regrets of yesterday. I Inhabit my moments and don't rent them out to tomorrow.

I once read some beautiful lines-

“Count your days by friends not years

Count your nights by stars not shadows”

These lines fill my life with enthusiasm, with positivism  My principles, my values and my opinions are in perfect sync with each other and that is what makes my life beautiful. Every person has two sides to itself. One for the world and one for itself. One that pretends and the one that longs. One that introspects and the one that acts. It is between these two distinctive individuals, that you find life, that you find what’s important in your life, what’s valuable in your life.

At the end, I would only quote Abraham Lincoln-

“And in the end it's not the years in your life that count; it's the life in your years.”