That vicious circle

You change house

You change location

You change city or country

You cannot get rid of certain memories

They say be positive

They say all is well

They say time heals

They say many more things

Nothing is true

The truth is knowledge can be upgraded in your brain

Love for a flower can be changed in your heart

Love for a person which you did not choose

But was decided by universe

Cannot be changed

It stays there forever, you stop talking about it

People stop calling you crazy emotional

The truth is they also are in same situation

But not ready to accept it

This “feeling” do not have any gender, It neutral

It gives pain and happiness

Then why we only want happiness?

Why we never dream for pain?

We need to learn to accept both gracefully

This vicious circle of society goes on

New empire, New rule

I laugh and laugh and laugh

Because I am just another human

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The Winter !!!

I do love rain but if there is a season which I love the most is WINTER. I am lucky enough to witness many types of winter in my life journey and hoping to witness many more.

Let me share my experience of best winter so far.

Coming from India, a diverse country not only in culture but weather wise too. One can find different weather in different region. I have traveled the 4 corners of the country I.e; north- south, east- west. And enjoyed winter in all region. North has all the season to its extreme and south has all the season to a little less extreme but as we move form place to place, it changes and bring new flavors. And so far I have enjoyed Rajasthan’s winter the most. A place of sand and castles.

Let me share some facts from google.

Fossils Discovered Indicate Rajasthan Desert Was Submerged Under Sea 47 Million Years Ago. Also, it was found that thousands of years ago, Saravasti river would course through the Thar Desert on its way to the Indian Ocean. However, some studies suggest that the increasing dry climatic conditions of the Thar choked up the river.

There is a lot to it and if you enjoy history, do google about it.

Back to weather and my love for winter, the climate in the Thar desert is like any other desert. Hot in the day and cool at night. The summer days are way much hotter but the nights are cool and the winter days are warm but the nights are colder. And that’s what I love about the place. Wandering around in the day time, enjoying the little activity going around, enjoy being out, relishing greasy food and in cold night enjoy the warmth of my home with hot cup of ginger tea after dinner and watching the only show coming on TV with family.

Those memories are so fresh.

Then there are days when my sister and I playing in the courtyard in the beautiful sunny afternoon and have kulfi from the local cart vendor. Having cold stuff in the winter afternoon taste much better than having them in summer sunny afternoon. And when tired, lay under the sun and enjoy the warmth. The warm wind blowing would melt all our thoughts leaving us at the moment as if we are in meditation.

Many more stories to go before next winter comes. Hoping to share few more from my bucket of stories.

Review : The Spy

Did you wonder what happened to those famous people back then. This book will provide you the opportunity to know about one of those famous personalities. “MATA HARI” !!!

Book: The Spy

Author: Paulo Coelho

Page: 181

Genre: Biographical Fiction

Other books by this Author: 20+

A very different book from Paulo Cohleo’s shelf. For the very 1st time he dedicated the book to a woman “Mata Hari”. The book is a collection of pieces of Mata Hari’s life modified from writer’s point of view. There are other books and will give different flavor about the person but no one can 100% tell the truth about her since there are no such information available but mere assumptions.

Story starts with Mata hari’s execution which brings pain, curiosity and a genuine interest to know what let her to this point. Anticipating reader’s mind, writer take us and slowly move to the birth of Mata Hari where she was born as “Margartha Zelle”, gone through abuse in a very young age, get married, have kids, face constant abuse, lose a child and finally leave everything behind and start a new life in Paris. Her hope and survival instinct are so high that she never gives up and take every obstacle as an opportunity.  Taking risk becomes her 2^nd hobby until the day she is asked to become a Spy. She is not really interested but need the money which she gets and makes her take another big risk of playing double agent. No sure evidence shown of her being double agent and it goes unclear till the end leaving us to choose the story we want for Mata Hari.

Shown the cruelty of world, how everything is uncertain, how no one is sure of anything especially when it’s a war zone. Every decision is just a decision. No right. No wrong. If decision goes right, the person taken the decision is considered right and if the decision is gone wrong the same person can be put in jail or in fact be executed.

I have enjoyed the book since I read it fresh without keeping any expectation. If we cloud our mind with the expectation of Paulo’s regular writing than this book is a definite disappointment.

Review: Animal Farm

If you are looking for a light book with lot of weight-age, do grab this one…

Book: Animal Farm

Author: George Orwell

Pages: 82

Fav non main Character : Donkey

The story beings with Old major (pig) sharing his dream and dies. Animal then take charge of the animal farm in England they have been living. Through out the book, it talks about animals, changes in their leadership and other animal working round the leadership.

A book which can be read by children and adult since its short and give meaningful story to both in their own way. Its book bring out more flavor if the same person read it as a child and reread as an adult. It will make more sense and bring more joy.

Reading as an adult, the whole book is presented in metaphoric form. And one cannot know the connection if does not know much about the actual story of Russian Revolution. But the book will still give a lot about the political situations goes around in the world. One can learn a lot about human kind and where they stand in this world based on power, intellegence and hatd work. There are some powerful situation which is still valid today and surely will be valid in future forever.

There was nothing to reas in between the lines thought since everything is given very clearly.

Loved the way Mr. Donkey, kept neutral. Many may say why he did not share the ending with all aminals when he knew. I personally feel, he knew no one will believe and its best that everyone go through.

Review : Of Magpies and Men

Looking for thriller & suspense?? Grab “Of Magpies and Men” by Ode Ray @authoroderay which is releasing on 2nd Feb 2021.

Thank you Author Ode Ray for sending me an ARC (advance readers copy).

Story starts from Italian village with two unknown body found near sea and drastically moves to a new scene and again movies to a new place with different character. This keeps the reader hooked and curious at the same time. I constantly guessed the next plot only to find a totally juicy twist full of humor which made me laugh and cry in differnt occassions.

Throughout the story, I found many shades of emotion from love, acceptance, betrayal, sadness, fear and so on anr felt way connected to all the character. Its difficult to say whom I liked the most. I was so engrossed that I felt being there in the situation. And ending is like finally finding the key to the door I have been standing from such long time.

A must read book 👍

I am itching to give spoiler but will hold on until the release of the book.

The Zahir

Looking for something intense, to read more than just the lines? A book for every soul! It speak to individual soul in their language. You love it, you hate it, but you will not stop if you have started it.

Book: The Zahir

Author: Paulo Coelho

Pages: 339

Genre: Psychological Fiction

Favorite quote: “No one should ever ask themselves that: why am I unhappy? The question carries within it the virus that will destroy everything. If we ask that question, it means we want to find out what makes us happy. If what makes us happy is different from what we have now, then we must either change once and for all or stay as we are, feeling even more unhappy.”

My Favorite non main character: The guests (Tupamaros, Talents, Trays) in the Party the Protagonist attend.

Other Books by this Author: 20 + other reads

Protagonist is looking for his missing wife and is in state of trauma and confusion. This state make him go through many internal phases every human goes. As story builds, he crosses the set of phase faced by every human and go beyond. Travelling internally and externally, facing his fear and fighting them until he does not want to fight anymore. He adds dark humor to explain his tussle, life’s tussle to bring laugh on readers face and at the same time can make them cry too. Through this journey, he take his individual reader to their own journey.

A very thought provoking book which has different meaning to individual. If read by same person on different timeline, it will have different meaning to that same individual. A book who knows no time, no boundaries. The book itself is a void which can never be filled by any time. This book hold multiple books within and speak volume.

Spoiler : Giving a spoiler is tough but will try 😀 While looking for his wife, meet any people who help him in each step and help him complete his journey until he reaches there.

Though out he talks about Favour Bank which is a very true concept in this world irrespective of the era. A very beautiful concept showing how we are link to each other and how and why we help each other.

Protagonist is with a woman but constantly looking for his wife and cross all limits once can cross. He constantly doubt himself and again contradict himself only to go on. And finally find answers to all his question.

Many quotes which touched my heart. Sharing a few here:

 -All you have to do is to pay attention; lessons always arrive when you are ready, and if you can read the signs, you will learn everything you need to know in order to take the next step

-Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability to choose – and commit myself to – what is best for me.

-The wise are wise only because they love. And the foolish are foolish only because they think they can understand love

-Writing is one of the most solitary activities in the world.

-If a book isn’t self-explanatory, then it isn’t worth reading.

Review: The story of a long distance marriage

Looking for an easy read in the weekend or while travelling, this is a good grab. Average reader can read it in a day with ease.

Book: The story of a long distance marriage

Author : Siddhesh Inamdar

Page: 176

Genre: Romance/contemporary Fiction

Favorite punch: What do you call sarson da saag that’s been left in the fridge for two days? – Parson da saag 😀

My favorite non- main character: Tanuj actually Momo ❤

Other books by this Author: None

Ira is leaving for New York for higher studies and the long distance marriage start from the start of the book. From there how Rohan manages his life alone have been painted beautifully. Those small detail of the argument with neighbor, handling Momo (his dog), coming back to an empty house, showing love for wife on social media and so on. The turns are smooth and show us the different phases of Rohan’s life. How few friends are for forever, how he misses his wife, how he start to feel low and how hard he try to bring his life to normal.

Finally, blaming his wife for current situation which slowly turn to blaming self. Not able to find answers to his question which finally answered by his wife in the last few pages.

Reader will never get bored while reading the book since it looks simple and predictable yet fresh. The book is divided into 10 chapters but we still do not know what comes next.

Over all I would rate it **** (4/5 stars). It could have got 5 if the title of the book made more sense. The title says “The story of a long distance marriage” and my expectation was to hear about both the party’s story (husband and wife) but it was more of Rohan’s story where the mention of his wife was rare. I mean literally rare. “The story of Rohan in a long distance marriage” would have been more apt.

Writer held on to protagonist’s emotion throughout the book which if left a little would have made us cry. You know we all love a little drama 😀

If we do not look into the title and the missing drama than its perfect!

Dosa

Recently, I saw one of my fav instagrammer who is from London was learning dosa from her Indian friend and it brought back memories of my way of learning dosa. I am still not 100% good at it because the trick is super tricky.

Now if you are a south Indian, you will say, what’s the big deal in making dosa? Since it’s in their DNA. But the rest of the world do not feel the same way especially when cooking is not in their priority list.

I come in the 2^nd category where cooking is more of necessity than passion. And so it took me some time to get my hands on it. Let me share some secret tips I learnt by burning many dosas.

1. If you have only one tava which you use for making roti and dosa too. Be careful, if tava is not greased well before making dosa, then dosa is going to get stick to tava like any leech to a human leg. And that will lead to a log of work
2. If you use too much oil after the 1^st greasing then your dosa is gonna die way before it could even be served. So a big no no to to much oil.
3. Here comes the fire. You will need to keep it on check. If you have a thin tava and it heats up easily then after laying the dosa batter on the tava, reduce the flame.
4. To make another dosa if the tava looks like cooling off then increase the heat again and this process goes on and on
5. If using an iron tava, keep the flame mostly high since iron tava take time to cool off or heat up.
6. Now comes the magic and that is to never flip your dosa… once you lay down your dosa like a sleeping baby on bed, no more touching… But do add some comfort oil in the corner of the dosa to easily scoop up once your dosa is ready to go
7. Most importantly, which we all ignore… How to lay the dosa. Too much or too less pressure is a big failure. Have a balance when you put the batter on the tava and rotate either clockwise or anti-clock wise. This is something to practice or you will never get it.

Those are few of my secret tips but again every vessel of every kitchen is different like our DNA. Do try and try and try until you get it.

Happy making DOSA !!!

Haunted by those path

There will be time when your admirers will go,

There will be time people will not like you,

There will be time people will not respond,

There will be time they will praise you

There will be time they worship you

 

This is something happens all the time with everyone

You could be in both ends

Receiving and giving

The hero and the villain

Or no one.

 

Do not apprehend  

We all need to be there in some point of our life

That hero some day

That villain some day

And no one on other days

 

Contemplate in this way

Would not you want to walk all the journey?

Because being only one of them is not gratifying

It will make you jealous of the world walking all path

And those endless question

Why we could not be like others will haunt you forever

Do not Rush Time…

There will be many storms passing

And she will be left bitter, sad and alone

She shall still continue to hold on to hope

Run, an inner voice bellowed

Holding on to her foot long faded grayish blue gown by side

She ran as fast as she could

But the flow of the river pulled her back

Those river always flows backward

They are full of whim

And has the power to suffocate with a tiny hunk from past

Which has no life, no meaning

She thought she could manipulate the weather

But she were manipulated by the strong wind

Her thirst increases where she paint those hunk

With much brighter color

Only to bring more pinching pain to her soul

Those memories are transporting the demon back

They are called melancholy  

They can never be escaped as she continue to run

Holding on to the demon can save her now and ever

But its only known to the winds

Remorse, remorse, remorse

Uproar all the chilly wind flowing around

And all she knows her current heart is a ghost

Full of passion, solitude, ignominy, vanity, betrayal

And she continue to run!!!