Kadambari Singh's Blog, page 2

3 things I learned in lockdown

                         How did the lockdown treat you?

 

For me lockdown was ok-ish BUT it did taught me a lot!

Before lockdown began in India, I assumed lockdown to be a vacation...I know I am still a kid! hehe. And once it began, the reality set in.

We Indians are a spoilt breed. We go to work in offices and think that is tiresome enough and can’t work at home and hence we need to have household help around. From cooking to sweeping to dusting to laundry we don’t do a thing at home.

So, with the prime minister announcing a complete lockdown there was no household help coming our way. To make matters worse, for a family of 4, my mother was at my naani’s place and now she couldn’t return and my father, my brother and I...none of us knew how to do any of the household chores.

So on the first day, the three of us decided that we will prioritize the chores and move forward. So cooking cannot be ignored and will have to do it every day, maybe not 3 times but at least once a day has to be there. We can wash the utensils on alternate days. Cleaning, sweeping, dusting and laundry were decided to be done once a week.

I don’t know how to cook but then that is the reason we have YouTube. But when everyone is at home, cooking once a day is a myth. But I am blessed, as my father and my brother willingly took up to help me with cooking. Sweeping and doing the utensils was delegated to my brother. We never wanted our old man to do anything but he insisted that he wants to help, so washing the laundry in washing machine was given to him.  And that’s how it was decided how we all will #sharetheload.

The first thing that lockdown taught me is that doing household chores can be fun when you have ready to help hands around. It is so rightly said #sharechoresmultiplylove.

On the 5thday of the lockdown, when my father decided to wash our clothes we got to know that our WASHING MACHINE BROKE DOWN! I mean what! I mean how...nooooooo.

So till the time our machine got repaired we had to wash our clothes by hand. Trust me when I say - WASHING MACHINE makes the task way way way easier. It was a good over 15 days before the washing machine got repaired and so we did our own clothes that no one person was overly loaded with work...so yes #sharingthelaundry did make it a bit easier.

So another thing that lockdown taught me is – take care of your household machines as you do of yourself... THEY ARE VERY VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL.

Now post lockdown, my mother is back home with us. And we are now accustomed to doing office work and house work together...and #sharechoresmultiplylove is our new motto to live by. So I help my mom in cooking and doing laundry. My brother and my father help in cleaning the house and doing the utensils. But I guess my father has adopted the washing machine as one of his child now because the moment he sees anyone nearing washing machine he reaches there, takes the clothes and start sorting them and putting them in gently. And then he will be the one to run the tap and the timer...hehe  I know he is cute.

 

SO the third and the most important thing this lockdown has taught me is to be GRATEFUL.

I am grateful the lockdown happened.

I am grateful the lockdown is over.

I am grateful that mom is back home with us.

I am grateful that we took care of each other.

I am grateful for the numerous easy-to-cook recipes online.

I am grateful for a functioning washing machine.

I am grateful that we are safe.

I am grateful that we could spend more time together.

 

This blog post is part of - I will #sharetheload and help in household chores in association with Ariel India and BlogAdda.

#sharetheload #sharethelaundry #sharechoresmultiplylove

Book review : Incarnations By Sunil Khilnani

Non-Fiction is wisdom and much more.
Incarnations by Sunil Khilnani is a non-fiction book.
Author Sunil Khilnani is known for writing on India. "Incarnations" is his way of elaborating history of India by 50 celebratory lives.
"Incarnations" - A history of India in 50 lives, is a compilation of 50 essays on people who have contributed to the existence of today's India. It talks about well known people like Buddha, Mahavira, Akbar, Shivaji, Rammohun Roy, Tagore, Jamsetji Tata, Dhirubhai Ambani as well as the slightly lesser known like - Dara Shikoh, Nainsukh, Periyar, Subbulakshmi. 
The book is divided into 50 chapters. Each chapter detailing not just about the contribution made by the person to the Indian society but also gives a peek into lesser known things about his personality. 
The book is very well divided into chapters by eras or years which gives it a form of continuity. It is well laid out and written in simple language. Each chapter is again structured well with introduction, accomplishments, life in general, rise and fall of the person. 
The author and his research are commendable. Known or unknown person, almost every chapter had something or the other not widely known. The layout, choice of personalities and anecdotes about them are few things which enabled even a non-fiction reader like me to read it without getting bored. 
I'll recommend this book to all non-fiction as well as fiction lovers. It will definitely interest you a lot. And to keep a reader, who is averse to non-fiction, hooked onto the book, this deserves a huge shout-out.
Overall I'll be rate it a 5 out of 5.

Book review : Young Mind Young Body By Sue Vanags

At 35, one definitely starts looking at life differently.
Young mind Young body by Sue Ziang, H.C. , is a self-help book.
The book is narrated in first person with Sue sharing her life experiences and how from an-adrenaline-pumping-high person she became a-high-on-dopamine person. Coming from China she brings forth her culture and beliefs that help Chinese look young and feel young.
I always say and believe, women never age over 21 but then reality is what we all know and hence picked this one up to know the elixir of staying young forever. I am in love with the writing style of Sue. In fact she had a 6 page acknowledgement at the beginning of the book and I will say, you just have to read it. Reading the acknowledgment itself will make you fall for the writing style. Written in simple, understandable language, Sue has a way with words which directly touch ones heart.
The book answers all the possible questions that one may have regarding how to live a youthful life. As it is written in first person, it doesn’t sound prophetic. For you to believe me a bit, I can say, I have read many self-help books to be talking about the contents of this one. In fact Sue has quoted a few self-help Gurus of her own that helped her and that is what makes this read a must-read.
Though a lengthy read but definitely not a boring one.

I will rate this a 3.5/5.




P.S. The book was selected by me from @BookTasters collection for a honest book review.

Book review : Bikhre Jazbaat By Rana Khan

I don’t know if I am in love with a person or in love with LOVE.
Bikhre Jazbaat by Rana Khan is a quotes book(if that is a thing)
Rana is my dear friend and a wonderful writer. She pens what she thinks and this book is a compilation of her quotes. The quotes depict several emotions from pain to joy to belonging to love.
Well, as it is, a straight from heart book, it is written in Hindi, English and Urdu. It is a coffee table book with about 50 quotes. The quotes vary from 2 – 6 lines, all interconnected with different emotions.
This book is very special and close to me because it is my friends book, plus every quote is like one of my feelings written in words on paper. I read, re-read and everytime I read I feel the emotion.
I will rate this short and sweet read a 5/5.



P.S. If you want to buy the book, it is available on your quote app.

Book review : The secret of Palamu fort By Razi

I have always been fascinated by palaces and forts and royalty.
The secret of Palamu fort, written by Razi is a detective thriller.
The story starts in a mysterious way where two robbers see a ghost. And this ghost has set out on a murdering spree. Detective Horo – as Robin Horo is commonly addressed is assigned this case by the Ranchi police. And then it all begins....murders, mystery and history!
Honestly, I never had heard of Palamu or Razi but the word Fort in the title was intriguing enough for me to pick this up. The story is engaging and surprising. The author has written it in simple-easy-to-understand language. The characters, of course for a detective thriller, one can easily think of the characters and so yes, the characters were predictable – an inspector, a detective, a sort-of dumb detective friend. So there was nothing special about the characters but I will like to give the benefit of doubt to the author, after all it is a detective thriller and has to have the usual ingredients of the recipe right! Besides the story have its own unique revelations and unexpected twists. Overall a good enough book to keep one hooked till one finishes it.
I loved it!! And I love it for the little instances that made me go back to my childhood and listen to my grandfather telling me tales of years gone by.
I will rate it a 5/5.

Book Review : The Treasure Syndicate by Jatin Kuberkar

I love to read fiction.
The Treasure Syndicate by Jatin Kuberkar is a fiction based on a treasure hunt.
The story starts with Acharya, the main lead, learning about the treasure and then devising a plan to get the treasure. It also revolves around Acharya and the members of his syndicate, the group of treasure hunters, how they all come together, their lives and how this heist changes their lives.
The story begins in a cryptic manner leaving one confused. I for one had to re-read the beginning as I reached chapter 3. The storyline picks up from there and it becomes an engaging one too. The characters drawn by the author are absolutely realistic. The plot and the situations are well woven. The story makes one believe the story.
Overall it is an interesting and engaging read which is well worded and well written barring a few errors. Treasure hunt stories are often too predictable and the author has done a commendable job by giving a storyline not generally imagined.
I will rate it a 4 out of 5.

Author Interview : Sourabh Mukherjee

Sourabh Mukherjee an Electronics and Telecommunications Engineer from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, in his day-job, Sourabh works in a senior leadership position in a global technology firm. Author of publications on emerging trends in business and technology as well as a textbook Big Data Simplified published by Pearson, Sourabh also sits in the Industry Advisory Boards of several premier educational institutions in India. He has spoken in technology summits in London and Las Vegas, as well as at events organized by Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, Symbiosis, Kolkata University, IISWBM, Techno India Group, University of Engineering & Management etc. 


Sourabh Mukherjee is the author of 3 psychological thriller novels - The Sinners, The Colours of Passion and In the Shadows of Death. The Colours of Passion was long-listed for movie adaptation in WordToScreen 2018, conducted by Mumbai Academy of Moving Image, and was among Top 10 new releases in Starmark outlets across India during the month of its release. In the Shadows of Death is among the first set of Indian titles commissioned by Storytel, popular global audiobook platform. Eminent book recommendation website MyBookPick.com ranked both the novels among top Indian thrillers for the years 2015 and 2017.
He has also written 3 short story collections. Romance Shorts, a collection of dark-romance short stories, won the Golden Pen Award in the Monsoon Romance Contest (2014) conducted by Sulekha.com. The 2-part Beyond 22 Yards on stories of Love and Crime from the world of cricket was among the first set of Indian titles acquired by Amazon Audible on its launch in India. The 7-part series It’s All About Love is among Readers’ Club All Time Best titles in Juggernaut Books (now Airtel Books), India’s premier mobile-reading platform and has also been commissioned by Amazon Audible for audiobook adaptation.
His books have received accolades from readers, book critics and several dailies, magazines and websites from the mainstream national media including The Hindu, The Times of India, The Week, Outlook, Yahoo! News, Zee News, Business Standard, Punjab Tribune, Free Press Journal, Absolute India Tabloid etc. He has written columns for Sportskeeda, India’s largest all-sports website, and Yahoo! Sports. Sourabh has spoken in events like the Kolkata Supernatural Literary Festival and International Women’s Day Tri-Series Debate organized by Rotary Club, Kolkata.

                                                



1. Tell us about your latest book "The Colors of Passion".
In "The Colours of Passion", I wanted to talk about how our society has certain pre-conceived notions about human relationships. Any relationship that does not conform to acceptable definitions is quickly dismissed as immoral, illicit, or even illegal. This has been the case with same-sex relationships in our country for a very long time. While the constitutional hurdle has now been cleared, has our mindset really changed? Is the society really open to same-sex relationships? Love, at the end of the day, is love. What we need to realize is that, love and passion come in a variety of colours - it cannot be painted in only one shade.

Secondly, the book aims to unravel the dark secrets behind the limelight. I have heard stories of betrayal, conspiracy, heartbreak from my acquaintances in the entertainment and fashion industries, and I felt that, these would be the perfect ingredients for an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

In that sense, "The Colours of Passion" has been truly hailed as India's first alternate sexuality thriller. It was long-listed in WordToScreen 2018, conducted by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI). It was also ranked by MyBookPick.com among top Indian thrillers in 2017, and was among Top 10 New Arrivals in Starmark outlets across India in the month of its release. It was also among Amazon bestsellers for several months post-release.  
2. Which is your favorite character from this book?
One of my favourite characters from the book is Mayank - rugged and irreverent, yet he is soft and vulnerable within. I put my heart and soul in creating that character.
3. We all fall in love with the characters we read, did you ever felt so for any character you have written so far?
"The Colours of Passion" is primarily about the attitude of the Indian society towards same-sex relationships, and its adverse impacts. My heart goes out to the characters in the story who are caught in that conflict, and also to everyone in real life, who have faced societal resistance, and have undergone hardships and rejection, just because they dared to listen to their hearts, they dared to love - differently.
4. What will be your tips for new writers aiming to become authors?
I would like to tell budding writers that, it is important to create real, identifiable characters in a story. Correct use of the language is essential. An author should ensure that a story progresses at a uniform pace – a story that slows down after an energetic start is a big letdown. Finally, it is not about the length but always about the impact of a story. I have read 1-page stories that have left me thinking for days.
5. You have written on various topics, what inspires you?
I primarily write about human relationships. The many ways in which they unravel end up creating stories that make us happy, that make us cry, that sometimes scare us or thrill us. I find this very interesting and inspiring.
6. Tell us something about you that generally people don't know?
I have very recently published a thriller novel in Bengali, my native language, which has become quite popular among readers in this part of the country.
7. Tell us your favourites -
3 Books –  Thrillers, especially books by Gillian Flynn, Paula Hawkins, Keigo Higashino, James Patterson
3 Movies – Too many to name here. Among my Bollywood favourites, I am a die-hard Amitabh Bachchan fan.
3 fictional characters -- Cormoran Strike in the Robert Galbraith novels, Alex Cross in the James Patterson novels. I find them very real.
8. Lastly a rapid fire -
- Snapchat or Instagram - I am not on either 
- Reading or Writing - Reading, then Writing
- Notepad or Note app – Note app
- Summers or Winters - Winters
- Beaches or Mountains - Mountains




                                   

Book review : We are like that only: Understanding the logic of consumer India By Rama Bijapurkar

For all the people involved in marketing, business development, customer service, "We are like that only" will catch attention for sure.
Honestly I also picked it up for the same reason, to get some new insight into the Indian consumer.








The book was first published in 2007 and hence the content, though standing true, has changed as well.
Nonetheless the book is interesting if you are involved in the market. The author has given great facts and figures to work on and dissected the entire Indian consumer market. She has quoted good number of easy to understand examples to get her point through.
The language is simple and easy. The chapters are of optimum length. Ample of examples and facts to share, the author herself has helped many corporates and being a faculty to B-School students. 
It is a fantastic read for students as well as young professionals. I won't say "We are like that only" is a must read, as many things mentioned are discussed in marketing and consumer behavior classes. But surely "We are like that only" goes deeper into understanding the Indian market and the consumer dynamics.

I'll rate it a 4/5.

Book review : From stressed to sorted By Sonam Chamaria

Remember the days you feel sad, dejected or miserable. We all have those days and staying true to the Book Title - From stressed to Sorted is all about that.
You will say -  another self-help book! Yes, another self help book, but a book written by a millennial not a veteran, so now I see some eyebrows raising, ahem!
I agreed on reading this book as I was going through a stressful phase and was trying everything to get over it. I was meditating, reading, talking to people and this came along as well.
It is a small little book where the author uses short instances which are relatable to real life to get her point through.
'From stressed top sorted' is all about today's scenario and our fast paced, over-ambitious lives. Each chapter ends with a tiny 'try-me', an activity to inculcate positivity in our lives and 're-wire' our thought process to a happy, positive one.
Sonam has written it in plain, simple, easy-to-understand language. Her examples are also simple and hence it is not one of those bulky books, where there are too many words but too less a meaning. But yes, the chapters at times feel a bit streched. 
The activities will barely take 5 -10 minutes and are worth it. Trust me when I say all this, I did try what she has written.


                                                  

I have been reading self-help from time to time and based on that, the book disappointed me in the content. As it is written by a millennial, I was expecting some out of the box ideas and new approaches. 
Though the author tried, but I didn't find more than a couple of instances which I had never heard or read before. 
I will wrap it up by saying it is practical philosophy - some easy stress busting activities, which if you adapt in your life, they are going to make your life even more easier.
For me a self help book has to go deeper and touch the chord. It gets tougher for the author as there are several books on the same content and only depth creates a difference. The book is subtle but needs more depth - I'll rate it a 3 out of 5.

Book review : The boy in striped pyjamas By John Boyne

The boy in the stripped pyjamas by John Boyne is one of the most beautiful books I got to read this year. Before reading this I had no clue of it's existence.
The book is written in first person and the story revolves around a "young man", as he likes to be addressed, 9-year old Bruno. Bruno's father is in government service and a sudden movement requires the entire family to leave their house in Berlin and shift elsewhere.
With no friends around Bruno feels sad and lonely but being an explorer at heart, sets out to explore new terrains. He becomes friends with a boy, who coincidentally shares the same date of birth and year as Bruno.
Bruno is happy with the new found friend and a new routine of exploration and finally settled in the new life.
The story continues with Bruno and his friend and how people around them affect them.





This was the first book suggested to me by one of the members of a new book club that I joined and I just picked it up with no perceptions attached. I did ask anyone if they has read this book but when I posted the first picture, there were many who said they liked it when they read it.
This book takes you by surprise.
The author has written it from the point of view of a 9-year-old, the way he sees the world. Infact the author -John Boyne has gone into great details of elaborating and mentioning each thing from a 9-year olds perspective. Even the chapter titles makes one believe as a 9-year-old has has written them.The narrative is simple and it makes one fall in love with Bruno. The author has brilliantly used a child's imagination in depicting his whereabouts, people's demeanor and their character.
Before starting this book though, I did read a few reviews, which said, 'it is sad' and hence all throughout, my imagination was set on, Bruno getting hurt. Maybe because I am a woman or the brilliance in the author's words, I so wanted to protect Bruno all along.
And here is the truth - The boy in striped pyjamas is based on the Holocaust.
Yes, that in itself sounds deadly and scary. But what took my heart was the narration. the author engrosses you from starting to the end into the life of Bruno. Infact for people who love books which set you free to imagine while laying the plot, this is a treasure. I loved it, I could almost see Bruno walking around with his tiny feet and little shoes getting dirty in mud by all the walking and the 'young man' sitting and cleaning his shoes at the end of the day.

I'll give full credit to the author for being simple yet informative to set the perfect stage for imagination. The way he plays with words and leaves certain things unsaid, unspoken yet known is ....love. A book written on a serious topic depicting it's effect on kids. It does make one think what all we do, have a great impact on children around and we all need to be cautious about it.

I'll rate is a 5 on 5.