Review of "Losing my Religion" By Vishwas Mudagal

Book: "Losing my Religion"

Author: Vishwas Mudagal

Available at: Flipkart

It is said that "if you want to make God laugh then tell him your plans." The same can be said about this book, which takes the reader on a wild and unpredictable ride altogether. I got this book as part of the "Flipkart Book Review Program."

Rishi Rai wants to make his name in the field of gaming and revolutionize the lacklustre industry altogether. However, as per the above-adage he goes on a wild and unpredictable ride as all spheres of his life get affected and fall flat one after the other. 

Then he meets Alex, who is as different from him like chalk from cheese. What's even more surprising is that the both of them click off in a very bizarre way.  Alex influences Rishi's life to such an extent that the latter decides to chuck up everything and go on an unpredictable journey with him across the length and breadth of India.

They traverse the length and breadth of India and see the country in a whole new light. This journey opens up Rishi and makes him see not only the country but himself also in a whole new light. He also meets the vivacious Kyra and falls in love with him. Little does he know that with Kyra he will embark on a whole new adventure altogether.

The narrative keeps you hooked and as you turn one page after the other, you want to understand the new twist in the story and savour it, before the next one comes along!

The book reinforces the belief that the more you make plans the more they fall flat. It encourages you to live in the moment and live life to the fullest.

Book: The Thirteenth Day
Author: Aditya Iyengar
Available At: Flipkart

"The Thirteenth Day" is a fresh new perspective to the Mahabharat that will force you to think again. The new perspective is set in the present times and is relevant in the social scenario as well. I got this book as part of the "Flipkart Book Review Program."

The tale is told by three persons - Yudhishthira, Radheya and Abhimanyu. It is a fresh new take on the age-old story and it forces you to think. Yudishthira is seen since ages as the administrator but in the book he is revealed as a person who did not have the people's vote of confidence at all. Instead the people's choice winner was Bhima and Yudishthira was actually seen as a spoilsport by all. The book is also humorous to boot and its uncanny gems force you to lighten up, when you least expect it. He is clearly one of the most under-rated and misunderstood characters in the whole story. This novel does bring his contribution to light and correct the injustice, but it is a long way to go before he finally gets his due.

Radheya or Karna, the king of Agra also takes part in the story and shares the story from his view-point. He is ridiculed no end for his supposed humble ancestors. The book is a stark reflection of the present day society as well. Never mind the fact that thousands of years have passed since Mahabharat took place. There are some things that haven't changed and will never will.

The book is fast-paced and keeps the reader hooked till the very end. However, the ending does seem a bit abrupt.

All in all, a remarkable debut by Aditya Iyengar. The book is littered with some remarkable humorous gems and some great anecdotes. It is well-researched and authentic to boot.

Review of “The Wedding Photographer” By Sakshama Puri Dhariwal

Book: The Wedding Photographer

Author: Sakshama Puri Dhariwal

Available At: Flipkart

First of all, being a through crime and thriller buff, i do “not” enjoy chicklit books, at all. But the surprise is that this breezy, wonderful read by Sakshama Puri Dhariwal may have just converted me. I am astonished to say this, but its true. I got this book as part of the “Flipkart Blogger Review Program.”

I finished this book in just two sittings, as it has a complete hold over the reader. It is the story of a journalist-cum-photographer Risha and her billionaire beau Arjun Khanna. They meet on a flight, sparks fly and the rest, as they say is history? No, No, not so soon. It is a tale that is woven with care over real-life situations like misunderstandings and the fragile ego. 

The punjabi influence over the script will keep you in splits and sometime during the narrative, you might also crave for a Patiala Peg. Don’t say that i didn’t warn you! The typical punjabi pronunciations will also humour you, no end.

Arjun Khanna is a typical businessman and a super-successful one at hand, who hates journalists with a vengeance. It’s too bad that his lady love’s main profession is also the same, which doesn't appeal to him at all. He thinks that she wants to make money out of him, by splashing his private pics all over the Page 3 tabloids, but he couldn’t be far away from the mark.

The gurus and all the sundry guru-mas’s sect is also made poked, prodded and made fun off, in this hilarious book. Arjun’s mom is a die-hard fan of a particular guru-maa who seems to have an affinity for Tanishq diamond sets, botox injections, perfect selfies and high-rise apartments. 

Review of "Sialkot Saga" By Ashwin Sanghi

Book: Sialkot Saga

Author: Ashwin Sanghi

Available at: Flipkart 

A thriller, a page-turner and a lesson in history and mythology all rolled into one! It is an interesting parallel story about the Indian business industry and the old Ashokan times. Both the stories are intertwined beautifully and they come to a homogenous conclusion at the end, which surprises and shocks the reader no end.

It is the story of two businessmen - Arbaaz and Arvind, who detest each other to the core of the Earth and want to upstart the other. The book is a Bible for anyone who wants to learn some con-games and how to carry them off, with aplomb! Arbaaz tries to do deals and get revenge in the shady financial world, whereas on the other hand, Arvind knows the ropes of the financial world, like no other!

Another twist is added in the book when the children of the protagonists fall in love with each other. In the backdrop of the 9/11 attacks, they realise their deep love for each other and marry in Sin City. Both the parents are of course furious and a uhde cold war starts. 

While reading the book, the reader can also re-visit all the important historical events that happened in Independent India upto the present times. The independence saga, the Emergency, Indira Gandhi's assassination, Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, Latur earthquake, Mumbai blasts, train blasts, Gujurat riots, the dotcom bubble, Taj attacks etc., all find mentions in the book.

The old Asokhan story talks about sanjeevani and the desire to stay immortal, for ever. The centuries-old secret is carried forward from generation to generation and finally finds itself in very capable hands in the current times. All the tangram pieces of both the stories finally fall in place, at the end of the book and reveal to the reader a wonderfully crafted book, that is intriguing, to say the least!

Work: Horn OK Please!

A plane is taking off. My eyes don't leave it, until it is a tiny blob in the sky and i can't squint anymore.

"Samjawan" is playing on Apple Music on the JBL Dock and its serenity is just amazing. The open MBP is staring at me, but i am lost in my own world gazing out into the terrance-garden. The occassional flight taking off interrupts my day-dreaming and i gaze at it, like a moth drawn to fire.

Brain-freeze. Mind-freeze. I-can't-think-freeze. MBP stares harder. I don't care and instead cradle the coffee mug harder in my digits and take a contended sip. The virtual face of my trainer pops up who admonishes me for the caffeine intake, but i pull my most innocent face and scurry him off!

By this time the MBP has all but given up on me. Instead, it is staring hard at the tempting window and staring it to death. They are having a face-off.

The coffee is getting cold. And i want to sing along the beautiful song.

What Bliss!

#FuckYouVitaminB12Deficiency ;-)

Review of "Autobiography of a Mad Nation" by Sriram Karri

Title: Autobiography of a Mad Nation

Author: Sriram Karri

Available at: Flipkart

The book starts on a poignant note with a very unpredictable rant, which goes on and on for some time. However, the reader is lured into the book with the very stark words - "I was born in a mentally retarded nation." These words not only jostle the reader but also make us question our very actions and even thoughts!

Vikrant Vaidya is sentenced to death for killing his neighbor and as per his right, he writes a mercy petition to the Indian President. The mercy petition is eight pages long and it is more of a 'rant' than a petition.

The book picks up pace when the CBI head is asked by the Indian President to investigate if Vikrant Vaidya has indeed murdered his neighbor or not and whether he is being sentenced to death needlessly or not. The President and the retired CBI head are friends so there is no chance that the latter can say "No" to such a case.

The CBI head believes it to be a simple case, but soon he is walking on egg shells as he dwelves from the tales of the Emergency to Operation Blue Star to Anti-Mandal Protests to Babri Masjid Demolition to the Gujrat riots. The reader too, is transfixed as the narrative moves in a fast-paced manner from one event to the other in a seamless manner.

I got this book as part of the "Flipkart Book Review Program" and i must say i thoroughly enjoyed this book for the most part!

The narrative meanders at times, but maybe that's intentional! It is gripping at times and the best part is that it holds the attention of the reader to the most basic and the precise fact whether India is indeed a mad nation or not? To answer this question, read the book!

Review of "India on My Platter" by Saransh Goila

Title: India on My Platter
Author: Saransh Goila 
Available At: Flipkart

Backpacking through the country, young chef Saransh Goila sets off on a culinary trail through India, where in he discovers the various nuances of local cuisine. 

From rural villages to barren deserts to freezing mountains, he unfolds the flavour of his destination by meeting local villagers or erstwhile royalty, picking up a tip or two to use in his kitchen. 

Wherever he goes, he makes sure to visit the famous eateries of that place. Through him, the reader can vividly smell the spices and taste the dishes that are described. The recipes given also present ways on using locally found ingredients. 

From having steaming Murthal ke paranthes to savouring tasty street food in home town Delhi, from cooking on a boat in Varanasi to cooking dishes using a bamboo hollow in Assam, Goila does it all and presents his adventures in a lucid, flowing narrative peppered with humorous anecdotes.

Review of "There's Something About You" by Yashodhara Lal

Title: There's Something About You
Author: Yashodhara Lal
Available at: Flipkart

First all the disclaimers: "There's Something About You" is not a romantic novel despite the suggestive title. It is a book about a woman who is struggling with all the petty issues that life has an uncanny habit of throwing at us, from time to time. No job, dependant parents, dwindling finances and an irritating-but-meaning-well mom! And of course, no boyfriend and the constant pressure of "settling-down"!!! 

Add to this the emotional turmoil of having a father who is suffering from the dreaded Alzheimer's disease and seeing him go south a little every single day. The once strong and protective father has now turned into a dependant and needy person and it is really heart-breaking to watch this facet of life, every single day.

Trish handles all of this and much more with aplomb till she encounters a stalker, whose life she has also saved before. Yup, it's tricky! Add an agony aunt column to the roller-coaster ride, which Trish does for purely financial reasons. Trish tries to take revenge on her editor, which backfires in such a miraculous way that Trish becomes an overnight celebrity, much to her chagrin. It is a good stress-buster for her as it allows her to let off steam in her characteristic sarcastic way! 

The ending is also superb as it shows how unpredictable life can be. What might seem as a "bane" one moment can actually turn out to be a "boon" a few moments later. Trish's financial issues get sorted out and she also starts to live life on her own terms instead to toeing the line of her bosses.

I got this book from the "Flipkart Review Program" and i finished it in two sittings flat. All in all, a worthy tale of our middle-class life and the struggles that we go through! The book amply demonstrates that there is a rainbow at the end of the dark and dreary grey clouds.

Review of "Mistress of Honour" By Bhavna Arora

It is an unlikely love story that blossoms in the background of the Indian Army. The book revealed to me that the strong Indian soldiers also have another side to their persona. The book starts on a simple note but picks up pace and plot very soon. It is not only well-researched but also depicts a very true picture of the travails and trials that the families of the Indian army face.

Perhaps the best part about the book is that two stories blend together and show how "history repeats itself".

Review of "The House that BJ Built" By Anuja Chauhan

Is it a book or a Bollywood script – the reader will keep wondering as they turn page after page of this scintillating and thrilling family drama. The Thakur Girls of “TPTG” are all grown up and fighting over their ancestral house. So many secrets, regrets and greedy little traits crop up all over the book to make it a nice and breezy read. 
I got this book as part of the "Flipkart Review Program" and i must admit that the excellent Hinglish prose just takes the book to another level! 
The book has all the makings of a Bollywood blockbuster with a “foot in the mouth” Bollywood director, a copycat fashion designer, a spiritual lady and a Page 3 addict news editor. The cherry on the cake is the “item song” – “Aur Jee” (pronounced as “Orgy”). Yes, an item song in the book! Anuja Chauhan has written a befitting sequel to “TPTG” in which she explores the lives of the famous sisters and how the chance of mega-millions corrupts them all!

a restaurant date with our omnipresent smartphones in tow... (Before Smartphones & After..)

I met my dinner date at a new restaurant and suddenly his iPhone went *beep beep* and it was an email notification. He went "Oh oh.." and proceeded to switch to the 3G network to check out the email and then incessant phone calls and some more email replies followed to and fro.

And was i fuming all this while? No sir, i was playing WordFeud(Scramble with people over the Internet) on my iPhone, completely oblivious to the corporate mayhem my date was in. Thats one of the superb advantages of being a freelancer. Corporate mayhem seems like a big funny circus to me and doesn't faze me a wee bit.

And what happened to the dinner? The waiter handed us the menus and i was told by his eyes to order for the both of us. I did so, but then his urgent con-call followed and the order was packed and we headed to the abode.

This incident later set me thinking that what would have had happened if that email notification wouldn't have arrived in the very first place? And how dinner dates were in a restaurant before the advent of "My Smartphone vs Your Smartphone" or even before there was GPRS.

We would have had smiled at each other and actually looked into each others eyes.
We would have had actually talked and laughed at the day's many anecdotes.
We would have had compared our crazy days and debated on who came out on top!

We would have had noticed new changes in each other.
We would have had at least noticed the clothes that the other was wearing or the *well-intentioned* lack of clothes at strategic places.. ;-) (i honestly don't remember his shirt's color on the last date)

We would have had flirted a wee bit or at least set the ball rolling..and then depending on the chemistry footsie might have followed..either accidentally or in a boldly acknowledged form.. ;-)
We would have had..opps..okay i *might* have had mentally picturised him bereft of his shirt.. ;-)

We would have had really taken the pains to read the menu and then debated the merits and demerits of the "semi-final-led" dishes before ordering..
We would have had noticed the restaurant's freebies (mint chutney, achaar, papad etc.)
We would have had seen the decor of the restaurant and trashed/commented on it based on the theme and what the designer wanted to accomplish and where he actually ended up..

We would have had salivated while waiting for the food and then actually eating it up there..
We would have had thought long and hard about dessert options and our waist-lines..

We would have had argued over the tip percentage and whether the waiter really deserves it or not..
We would have had thought about post-dinner catching up..


We would have had blasted the other on his/her roving eyes checking out the others..
We would have had debated whether we would come again to this restaurant or not..

We would have had talked aimlessly about the weather if the dinner date was not going in the right direction..
We would have had..We would have had..We would have had..




We "might" have had made plans for another date..or we "might" have had been glad to escape when the bill would have had come..
But it was not to be..i was actually thinking about my online game in which an opponent made a word "FEEBS" (what does it mean, in the first place? huh) worth 136 points against me..and he was thinking about corporate strategy and how to come out on top..and the telecom companies were milking us for our incessant 3G usage..

RIP Dad..

I bet they need u there in the Heaven's Railways Micro-processors Deptt..If they have faster micro-processors there, then am sure u would be over the moon and celebrating the fact with a nice cup of garam chai & regaling others with ur wonderful Earth stories in ur dramatic story-telling way.. :)

Woh Liverpool k letters, woh mera favorite salad, woh chinni k parathe, woh Physics ki har cheez ko ek Railway track/train k example se samjana, woh mom ki gossip karna, woh Sunday morning ki jalebi ki shopping karne jana, woh scooty sikhate huay mera aapko girana, woh raat main 3am uth k terrace par celestial event dekna, woh garden main tedhe-medhe plants lagana aur pir daat Khana Maa se, woh Chowk se parrots kharid k lana, woh PC-XT...

woh light jaate hi jhoole par baithe k liy race lagana, woh guest rm k marble floor ko chamkaane ka challenge, woh tanki paint karna aur apne ko Piccaso samajna, woh 'Close-Down' dekna, woh Maa k saamne ek-dosare k liy jhoot bolna, woh chai banwane k liy black-mail karna, woh mera migraine aur aapka seer dabana, woh aapka mere room se casette Lena aur mera rootna, woh mera aapka tiffin roz last minute par bana kar pack karna aur aapka tension Bhara Chehra, woh mera sabjiya 'ban' karna, woh aapke k liy woolen socks knit karna, woh aapka jackets ka craze aur hum sab ka collection dek dek k jalna, woh bees hazaar baar aapka "wahi" news dekna zor se, woh meri choti gori-gori meethi rotiya aapki pasand wali, woh mom ka aapse mithai chupana...

woh gate khol k Rakna main aur meri gaadi k liy, woh mere liy hailstones utha k freeze kar k rakna, woh aapka subah pyaar se uthana beta beta bol k, woh school mai itane saare uniform-clad bacho main apni beti ko pechaan nahi pana, woh dal na khane par daatna, woh Darjeeling ki roads par long walks mom ko hotel room main chod k, woh Tipsy k harkaate k elaborate coverups, woh "thoda prakash daalna beta", woh roz subah jaldi uth k morning walk jaane ka promise aur pir wapis aa k pir soo jana, woh Santa k jokes ki analysis, woh "Hello Papa aur Hello Beta" ka ritual, woh "nahi nahi ye bahut fried hai" kehna aur pir chip k pakore khana, woh "ye koi khaane ki cheez hai" aur "accha thoda dena jara", woh aapka chai ka glass garden main bhool Ana aur mera kehna ki ab usska ped ugega, woh aapke bade bade sweater jaan booch k pehena, aur aur aur aap...

Sab bahut pyari yaadein hai :)

- a father's li'l daughter...

by aish | Create your own Cartoon at www.toondoo.com

life is but, a story that we script and act out everyday...

a true story...
a story true...

a story in a line,
a story in a roundabout...

a story in a glance,
a story in a far-away land...

a story in a sigh,
a story in an ah!

a story in a OMG,
a story in a yes YES YESS...

a story in an election,
a story in a rejection...

a story in signs,
a story in *Conditions Apply...

a story in Fill-in-da-blanks,
a story that's known...

a non-stop story,
a story that gets refreshed(F5ed)...

an endless story,
an aborted story...

a questioning story,
a story with results...

a sorrow story,
a chick-lit story...

a far-fetched story,
a down-to-earth story...

a story that rings a bell,
an anonymous story...

a story that teaches,
a story that asks...

a story that just broke out,
a story that failed...

a story in trust,
a story in rust...

a cooked up story,
a garnished story...

a story on memories,
a story on amnesia...

a story on secrets,
an open-ended story...

an ironical story,
a story on fate...

a story on hate,
a story on acceptance...

a crazy story,
but a true one...

a good story,
a better story...

a grand-maa story,
a haiku...

a nushu story,
a published story...

an absorbent story,
a troubling story...

a story on pattrens,
a twist-of-fate story...

an i-can't-stop story,
a battery-dead story...

a story on accidents,
a story on contrived plans...

a starry story,
a humble story...

a fossil-led story,
a sci-fi story...

a web-pay-to-download story,
a fable...

a story on truths,
a story on reality...

an age-old story,
a new-age-wise story...

a mad story...
a full-of-lesson story...

a simple story,
a heavy pregnant story...

a touching story,
a smiling story...

a friend's story,
a relative's story...

a made-for-each-other story,
an opposites-attract story...

a bedtime story,
an inspirational story...

a wild story,
a Monday-Mornin-Late-To-Office story...

a perspective story,
a pick-me-up story...

a dotted story,
a knotted story...

a story less in truth,
but more in imagination...

a theoretical story,
a wisdom story...

an 'in' story,
an evergreen story...

a masked story,
an in-your-face story...

a husband-&-wife story,
a peaceful story...

a live-in story,
an epic story...

an Alt+F4 story,
a Forward story...

a story behind closed doors,
a story on an-open-book...

a bargaining story,
a benevolent story...

a story on spirit,
a lazy story...

a pauper story,
a flamboyant story...

a story on insomniacs,
a story on day-dreamers...

a story on the eyes,
and some other story on the lips...

a story on i-should,
a story on i-rather-would...

a multi-layered story,
a straight-to-the-bones story...

an admiration story,
a disgust story...

a boring story,
a sleepy story...

a common story,
a story of the witch-lands...

a winning story,
a winning-but-still-coming-short story...

a larger than life story,
a mosquito story...

a crusader story,
a common man story...

a story on need,
a story on want,
a story on desire,
and a story on have...

a grateful story,
a necessity story...

a 'Send' story,
a 'TrashBin' story...

an active story,
a pro-active story...

a juicy story,
a bare-as-bones story...

a jiggy story,
a pregnant-pause story...

a destiny story,
a self-made story...

a remote-controlled story,
a free-will story...

an open story,
a curtained story...

a story more in lies,
but with a good intent...

a story hidden in smiles,
a story written in frowns...

a story in a scribble,
a story on a page...

a story in a story,
a story in the prose...

a story on life,
a life on stories... ... ...

life is a salad!!

a salad that's tangy, tasty, revolting, healthy & crunchy...
different emotions form the different flavours...

the usual suspects in flavours like love, trust, honesty, diplomacy
are all there...but do they exclusively make up our life?

all of us are grey, no one us totally black or white...
yet we keep on denying the grey flavours - jealousy, anger, hatred,
irratibility...
we wish them away from our life but they are all there all the same...

being humans that we are, it's ok to be jealous once in a while,
it's ok to be frustrated,
it's ok darling...absolutely ok...
it's ok to be angry and vent your anger out...instead of keeping it as
a bottled pickle in our system...
it's ok to answer back with a quick retort...none of us are Ms. Goody
Two Shoes all 24X7 ...
and it's absolutely essential to accept the fact that neither you can
be...so let go...

don't feel so much guilt (maybe my guilt system is over developed)
kick some ass, walk off, sulk, bitch, gossip, shout...
let go...once in a while...

believe me, you'll feel so refreshed & rejunavated after it...
it's all these grey flavours that are there in some proportion in our
life...
so why not simply acknowledge them & make peace instead of trying to
be Ms. Goody Two Shoes all the time...

remember life is a salad...in order to appreciate the sweet
flavoursyou need a knowledge of all the bitter and the sour flavours
as well...

all said and done, these grey flavours are not the main flavours in my
life...they are just the seasoning...mind it! ;-)

NOTE: this was written some moons, some seasons, some spring-cycles
ago... ... ...
>

> everybody says 'write ash...just write'
> I nod my dainty head & say 'oh... yeah'
> again da cauldron of devil's advocate questions get a quick stir
> & da doubts come bubbling up once again, 'I write abt what?' , '
> who'll print it?'
> itz easy to say it, but being a full time writer is scary & so on...
> I seethe silently & write to banish these questions once again
> may be if I was more romantic & crazy & not so practical then the
> questions wouldn't be there or atleast be a little less...

I said no
for perhaps da first time
I said NO Emphatically
I stood up
no it is
I felt light
a relaxed sigh escaped my lips
stretched my spine
1inch suddenly more closer to da sky
da air is clearer n more of oxygen 1inch up
chin up
undazed eyes
dazzled spirit
I looked up at da sky
it smiled at me
no, I think it winked back
growin up u gal
ah! finally
I slapped a hi-fi
to da sky
to my No
to a new emergin sapling of spirit
to my buddy da sky...

a tunnel that lasted for four years...

finally finally i see some light, no a tiny ray of 'what-to-do'...
it took 4years and then some...
lots of tears and lots of sighs...
lots of missed beats...
lots of 'oh-my-gawds'...
lots of missed-buses...
lots of droopy eyes...
lots of depression...
lots of frustration...

still its a tiny ray...but am happy...
derz a callin somewhere...
i hear a tiny whisper...
i hear it finally...
it eluded me for quite a while...
maybe i was deaf or pretended not to hear...
it persisted
and finally i succumbed...

a new road...
a new path...
am walking down it...
finally i am happy...

cheerz2me :)

latticed windows...sarcastic kudos
blunt knives...pretty hives
bitchin friends...unsent sends
artificial tan...draught beer cans
transparent curtains...free flowin patterns
stencilled paintings...lovingly hating
free lease...armtwisted knees
mute bells...open cells
silent agony...concealed balcony
sorry please
indian made foreign liquor ;)

am paintin bloomin flowers on a black background...
wat does dat say?