Manali Manan Desai's Blog, page 46

2050~ What the Future Looks Like (A Poem)

I wake up to her voice saying ‘It’s a great day to be and do’

I complete my morning ablutions and have my breakfast as she continues to chatter.

From reminding me of my schedule for the day,

To ensuring I tuck in my shirt properly and polish my shoes.

She reprimands me about my increased weight to which

I chuckle, thank her, and wonder what I would do without her.

Sighing I walk out of the house,

Already looking forward to hearing her voice again,

In the car, while I work, when I return home and till the time

I go to sleep.

After all, she’s all the company I have,

Albeit just a voice over a machine.

__***__

Photo by Fábio Lucas on Unsplash

I wake up to his voice saying ‘It’s a great day to be and do’

I complete my morning ablutions and have my breakfast as he continues to flatter and flirt.

From reminding me of how I need to dress for the day,

To suggesting hairdos, outfits, accessories, and footwear.

He rebukes me about the fiasco of a date I went to last night

I giggle, thank him, and wonder what I would do without him.

Sighing I walk out of the house,

Already looking forward to hearing his voice again,

In the car, while I work, when I return home and till the time

I go to sleep.

After all, he’s all the company I have,

Albeit just a voice over a machine.

The ‘T’ Factor (A Poem)

Black,

a simple color,

a single color.

Attractive in its own way,

Vanilla, all the same.

It became predictable and boring,

One day she asked,

What’s your “XXX’ fantasy?

And I quickly said, touching the black,

‘Another color please’

She loves the black too much,

And it’s hard for her,

To dye it another color,

Hence, in came

the ‘T’ Factor

Photo by Luis Quintero on Unsplash

Now there’s red, blonde, brown,

And colors I can’t even identify.

Who knew?

Toupée could become our kink,

and my source to flavors other than vanilla.

The One-Hour Journey (A Short Story)

He reached the station exactly at 9:28 am, just as he had for the past 7 years. He wondered if his schedule had ever changed since the day he had settled in Mumbai. Come to think of it, he actually didn’t even need an alarm clock anymore for waking up on time (this actually was something to be proud of as his “going to bed” time differed every day). Though his jobs, job locations, the profiles, and even the companies he worked for had changed a couple of times, he could never bring himself to move from the place he had now come to think of as “home” or rather a “home away from home”.

He had first chosen this place to stay in because it was near to his graduation from college. At that time, he never knew he’d be coming back to this place (for that matter even the city) after completing his graduation. His goal was clear, graduation from Mumbai and then an MBA from IIM-A. But life became something else for him after moving to Mumbai. The “City of Dreams” made him change his dream.

He was enjoying the newfound freedom and friends, some from college and most from his PG. Some of the best days of his life were during graduation, in and outside the college, but the most cherished were the times spent with his roommates. Thinking of the pranks they’d pulled off together made him laugh even today. So, when the time came for him to start preparing for CAT, the first thought that came to his mind was, he’d miss this city and this place the most. Though he did give his best in the CAT exam, God had some different destiny woven for him.

He had never thought of anything aside from the IIMs. And that’s when he decided that this was the place for him, from the beginning; this is where he was supposed to be. So he gave the MH-CET, got into a top college, and again chose this place to stay, despite the fact that his MBA College was quite far. Yes, agreed that the daily commuting did tend to tire him more (especially now that he’d work pressures and deadlines and whatnot tensions), but traveling in the infamous local trains of the city was something he had become attached to instantly.

The roommates had changed over the years, he’d come to live with many and varied people now. He could proudly claim that he was the one who had stayed at the PG for the longest duration and that he’d seen all sorts of people and tamashas. Life had taught him a lot and he knew his personality and face showed this. Some even misread this as arrogance on his part. He merely smiled at this now. He’d long since stopped caring about what people said or thought about him. How trivial these matters seemed in comparison to what he went through every day while traveling and working.

The train pulled on to the station as he was mulling over these thoughts in his mind. Just as every day, the mob went insane (like many people go haywire at the sight of their favorite actors). Everyone wanted to get in first. He had come to learn that through strategic placement of oneself right in the middle of the on-boarding crowd, one’s entry into the train is ensured. The pushing from the ensuing mob is so forceful that even if God were standing there, he’d be pushed into the compartment. There is no way out. As he was pushed in, he quickly grabbed hold of one of the support antlers hanging from the roofs.

The feeling is one that can only be experienced; one cannot describe it in words. It’s a miracle how so many of us survive this daily ordeal. It’s like being sucked into a whirlpool, you’re aware that you’re breathing and no other sensory organs work. The only good thing about it is that you’re sure you won’t fall down because there is no space for even the wind to pass. The train got fairly empty after Dadar (in Mumbai terms that means there was enough space to move your hands and legs about a centimeter or so) and he went to take his regular place, standing at the right-hand side of the gate. There was no point resting his bums only for a few minutes when he’d already been standing (or rather getting a massage in the middle of that huge crowd) from the last thirty minutes approximately. Again, at this point, his eyes, out of sheer habit fell on the place opposite him. He knew what or who he was looking for but just as he’d come to expect from the last 6 months, it was a different face. His heart ached thinking of the possibilities and miseries. It even gave him nightmares at times.

The worst was the first day, he just couldn’t accept it. Like today, on a day exactly 6 months ago he’d got onto this train not knowing that it was going to be the luckiest as well as the most altering day of his life.

He’d smiled at the now familiar face of the elderly person in front of him. The smile he got in return warmed his heart as always and gave him hope that the coming day would turn out okay. In the 5 years that he’d been traveling to Churchgate from Andheri, to commute to his office or rather changing offices, his train had been fixed. The most amazing thing about Mumbai locals is that you come to be familiar with every face in your compartment (if you use the same train for commuting every day) and there is a sort of bonding and mute acceptance of each other as companions.

Photo by Neelkamal Deka on Unsplash

His bonding with this gentleman referred to here was quite accidental, literally. It had been his first day of work (after enjoying a long vacation on completing post-graduation and months of job hunting), obviously, it was tough to wake up so early after such a long rest period, that too at one’s home. As expected, he was running late so he got ready in a rush and ran all the way to the station, pushed his way through the crowd, and got onto the platform just as the train started to move away, feeling both panicky and heroic, (even in today’s generation nobody wants to be late on their first day of work) not knowing what came onto his mind, he jumped into the moving train and immediately lost his footing.

Strong though gentle hands grabbed him by the shoulders from behind and pulled him into the safety of the compartment, and turning around he saw the face that was to become almost a father figure to him in the coming years. Before he could utter his thanks he was pushed further into the compartment and found himself in the middle of a huge crowd rooting him to the spot and making him unable to move even an inch. He looked here and there in search of that face, but it was lost.

When the train emptied a little at the next station, and he moved towards the side, he found himself being eyed with great interest by his savior, who was standing on the opposite side. Before he could say anything, explain or thank him, the man just gave a nod indicating he understood and that there was no need for any explanations or gratitude. In that one nod, there was also a welcoming acceptance. And that been the beginning of a relationship where no words were exchanged, only companionship during this daily commuting was the foothold.

This person had shown him quite a few things on their daily travels, the first being the photo of his wife, which he carried in his wallet. The man was once carrying a box on the return journey, and when asked via enquiring looks from him, he’d opened the box to reveal a chocolate cake and had then indicated a small heighted person which he understood to mean that it was his grandson’s birthday. He smiled and showed thumbs up. On the day that we’re discussing after the train got empty, the elderly man had removed a small box from his pocket and showed a ring contained in it. He then showed him the ring he was wearing on his own finger. He took that to mean it was his anniversary and he was planning on giving his wife this ring as an anniversary present, and via his fingers showed ‘2’ and ‘5’ to indicate that they were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. That’d made him smile broadly and as was the established standard between them by then, he showed thumbs up. At that moment he’d come to realize how much he’d got used to having this man around as a companion during this daily journey. Though they‘d hardly exchanged a word, or for that matter even knew each other’s name, there was a strong bonding between them and he’d come to look forward to seeing him every day and the commuting itself would have been quite tiring and dull without him. So he just caught his eye again and smiled affectionately. Immediately he responded with an even broader smile than usual. He seemed to be in his own element today, beside himself with joy and excitement.

The man got down two stations before him i.e. at Grant Road and waved his hand in farewell. Not knowing that this would probably be the last time they’d be seeing each other, he too waved his hand. Like any other day, he’d reached the office and gone on to do his work until it was time to leave. Looking at the watch he realized that he’d already missed his usual train by about 20 minutes. Just as he was getting up, the department head had announced that everyone was to assemble in the conference room in 5 minutes for an urgent meeting. Groaning and complaining he joined everyone in making his way to the conference room.

As they entered, he realized theirs was not the only department present there. Something major was happening that much he could make out. Someone had already turned on the big LCD TV, and as almost everyone had gathered and the silence was replaced by the buzz of the people, he could make out what the news people were saying on TV. He was shocked and rooted to the spot by the footage being shown on the screen. Upturned and messed up compartments of our endeared locals. Unable to react for 2 minutes, the only thing making sense amongst all the bloodshed, tears, and chaos was that he’d just missed his own deaths by a few minutes. “Serial blasts in the Mumbai locals” proclaimed the headlines on the news channel.

As everyone realized what had just happened, there was a rush to call all the close ones to ensure that they were okay. Many were already crying out in anguish and shedding tears. Even his throat choked up and tears filled up his eyes as he thought of the thousands of innocent lives lost. And then unbidden, the image of the elderly man showing him the ring this morning swam in front of his eyes and he began crying in earnest. The injustice of it all just made him angry; incapable of doing anything else he left the seminar room and went to his desk, picked up his bag, and left the office without talking or making eye contact with anyone.

He took out his cell phone and saw many missed calls and texts. First, he called up his dad; a hysterical mom on the other side began shouting in anger. It took him about 5 minutes to calm her down and make her believe that he was fine. On talking to his dad, he came to know that the blast had taken place in the very same train that he took every day, and that they’d already imagined the worst when he wasn’t picking up the phone and that they were just thankful to God that he was okay. He then told him not to travel by train, to take a cab to home directly, which in any case was what he had in mind. He hung up the phone saying that he’d call them again once he reached home safely. After replying to the many texts of his friends and relatives, and letting them know he was okay, and also asking through messages all his roommates whether they were fine (calls were impossible to get through that day, the networks were jammed badly), he rushed out of the office building and the scene that met him outside was something he’d never forget.

There was chaos everywhere, people moving in two directions, one rushing towards the station, to check and help, which also included many media people with their crew, camera and vans, ambulances making their way through the crowd with their sirens blaring in all directions, people being carried in arms or stretchers towards the already stationed ambulances; and the other rushing away from the chaos towards the safety of their homes. But anywhere he saw, there was blood on almost every face. Some were badly injured too. As he moved further, looking for a cab and trying to find a way out of the crowd, his eyes fell upon mutilated bodies, moans of pain escaping every person’s lips; some with broken hands and legs, some with entirely cut off body parts, some dying and some already dead. It was gruesome. The sight made him sick and he threw up on the pavement.

Hardly aware of where he was going, he walked and stood a little ahead from there, using the sidewall of the footpath as support. When sense came back, he went to help the others carry the injured towards the ambulances and out of more harm’s way. Even today, he wondered from where he got the willpower to face so much blood. The tears were constantly running down his cheeks but he still went on helping. Others around wore similar expressions of grief and disbelief, but also a grim determination to help as much as possible. After about half an hour, being quite sure that they’d cleared out all the bodies from that particular area, he decided to move on.

He saw a line of cabs at the end of the lane. He walked on towards them and quickly, got into one and told him the address of his Andheri PG. The journey back home that day was a terrifying experience of his life. His eyes caught glimpses of people crying, moaning in pain, injured bodies on the road all the way back. These images give him nightmares and sleepless nights even today.

But it wasn’t this that bothered him. It was the fact that since that day the one hour journey became an ordeal he didn’t look forward to.

The hour actually became an hour when previously it felt like minutes. Sure, he had made new train friends (something only Mumbaikars can relate to) but the memories of that face still brought on tears and anger. Something in him changed the way he looked and felt about the city and its people too.

His blood boiled thinking about the loss of innocent lives and the permanent dark mark the event had left on the City of Dreams which had made so many of his dreams come true. He felt more affinity towards its people as well. The selfless way in which all the Mumbaikars stood up to help each other without knowing who they were helping and without caring about their own selves, was something that amazed not only him but even people the world over. The city and its people were on their feet again in no time but people like him will never forget the incident of that he was sure.

This is when his mind shaped the idea of “Bay Bomb”. He initially started it as a group where people could come and share their experiences of what they had been through. He thought it would help people like him get over the nightmarish experience that they had all been through. Today, it was a burgeoning community of over 500 people who not only shared their experiences but even helped each other with anything and everything. Be it financial help or medical aid, the community was always there to back each other up and they welcomed new members with open arms.

It was this idea of his that got him in touch with the elderly gentleman’s family too. His wife had narrated her experience in one of the meetings and he knew right away that she was his wife. After her narration, she and he both broke down and he ran to hug her. He told her his side of the story and she went on to tell him how fondly Mukesh (the elderly gentleman) spoke about him after reaching home every day. That day he realized his purpose in starting the group and swore to himself that he would become the second son to this lady. To this day, he takes care of her and helps her in every possible. She too dotes over him endlessly! A few years on ‘Bay Bomb’ became not only the talk of the town but talk of the nation!

Today, he was reminded of all this because he was taking ‘The One Hour Journey’ to appear for an interview. No, not a job interview; it was an interview for a leading tabloid and news channel wanted him to feature in. He got down to his destination as the journey ended. As he got down, he turned one last time to look at that spot which had brought on the following events and knew that from somewhere above he was being smiled upon and blessed too.

Photo by Snowscat on Unsplash

Note: This story was originally published on The Naked Truth

Araina’s Always and Forever: A Second Chance Romance with the Magic of First Love by Esha Pandey

Book blurb:

Araina is back at her cottage in Nainital after a gap of ten years to celebrate New Year’s Eve. She has carefully avoided anything that reminds her of Abhimanyu, the guy she was head over heels in love with, the guy who broke her heart, ten years back. But on her very first day, she runs into him and realizes she is still not over him.
What follows is a rollercoaster of emotions. Abhimanyu is as handsome as she remembered him to be, and he melts her insides with just a smile.
Araina is hurt and angry, but Abhimanyu is determined to seek forgiveness and make her his.
Will she give in?
Does she still love him enough?
Will there be an ‘Always and Forver?
Do Abhimanyu and Araina seize their second chance at love? Read Araina’s Always and Forever to find out.

Genre: Flash Fiction/ Romantic Comedy

Pages: 58

Format: Kindle eBook

Price: 49 INR/$0.99

My ratings: 4.2/5

Araina and Abhimanyu had a fairy tale romance during their teens and early adulthood. But things turned sour due to an incident and they moved on, not keeping in touching or seeing each other for 10 years. A chance meeting at their favorite hill station brings forth a rush of nostalgia for both. Will they give each other and their bygone romance another chance?

A love story about rekindling old love and giving second chances.

What I liked about the book:
–> Araina’s character introduction, her dry yet relatable sense of humor, and the way she talks about herself.
(As someone in my early 30s, this was hilarious and relatable at the same time). Also, loved the first-person narrative and PoVs from both protagonists.
–> The build-up to what actually went wrong between Ariana and Abhimanyu.
–> The smooth weaving between the past and the present.
–> The conspiracy between those who care about Ariana and Abhimanyu to bring them together again.
–> The way it brings in the lockdown and how it turns out to be a blessing a disguise for the two protagonists.
–> It leaves many unanswered questions and loose ends giving the reader hope that there might be a prequel or sequel to hang on to in the future.
–> The whole story gives out a lot of feelings of hope and optimism and the most important message of realizing what is important in our lives (which as the author mentions has been a result of the Corona pandemic)

What I did not like about the book:
–> It was predictable at most levels.
–> The secondary characters were given very less spotlight, especially Arjun and Abhimanyu’s Dadi.
–> A lot of things are left up to the reader to figure out.

Quotable quotes:
–>I am a 90s kid, my needs and wants were basic, yet I fought for everything like my life depended on it.
–>We did almost everything we were told not to do by my parents.
Booze… done
Drugs…done
Sex…done
–> I wasn’t unfit or anything. I am a smoking hot girl for my age. Am I being pompous? Okay, I will tone it down. I am fit, well-endowed, and beautiful at five feet six and fifty-six kilograms with shoulder-length hair.
–> I said hello with my eyebrows. Yes! You can do that. It’s a thing. You pull them up, make an arch and look at the person. It counts as hello.
–> I never thought I would make it, yet, here I was.
–> Whatever I had learnt in my growth in the last ten years was to never react immediately to a situation. Some distance from any particular problem lessens the damage one could by reacting instantly.
–>Oh God don’t let me get raped. This was a fear that almost all Delhi girls lived with.
–> Sometimes feelings are greater than heartbreaks.
–>”I have always known what is going on in your life but I have never interfered because it’s your path, you have to take it.”
–> Everything was exactly as I remembered it to be, yet everything was different.

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A Weekful of Poetry

1. Fool

Who would you say is the fool?
One who trusted,
And lost a cheater
Or the one who broke the trust,
And lost a keeper.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash2. Adulting

To my questions they said, “You’ll understand when you grow up’

I grew up and understood,

Photo by Sai De Silva on Unsplash

It was all a sham,

Because nobody really understands.

3. BluePhoto by Jonathan Daniels on Unsplash

A feeling on a day
when you are dull,
The colour of the sky
On a day which is bright
Blue is both wrong and right.

4. LibraryPhoto by Heber Galindo on Unsplash

My happy place
Is not real
It is somewhere between some pages
But the home of those pieces of paper,
Is my heaven and haven.

5. BalmPhoto by Pharma Hemp Complex on Unsplash

There’s one to nourish the chapped lips,

There’s one for the sore nose to heal,

Is there one to soothe and restore the soul too?

6. Never Gone

“Here lays the sole of a writer
Yes, she’s never resting in peace now.”
Repercussions of being an intolerant grammar Nazi
Borne on a tombstone.

Photo by Rhodi Lopez on Unsplash7. The Ferris Wheel[image error]Photo by Gerson Repreza on Unsplash

A different view for every cabin,
A different sight with each movement,
That ride taught me,
To keep moving,
For presence, progress, and perspective.

Dawn The Warrior Princess of Kashmir by Rakesk K. Kaul

Book Blurb:

It is AD 3000. Hiding from the world in a cave in Mount Kailash, Dawn encounters two strange beings on her sixteenth birthday. They urge the long-lost princess of Kashmir to fulfil the prophecy of fighting the Troika. This nefarious trinity-the merciless leader Arman, the AI war machine AIman and their supreme, omniscient overlord Dushita-is a vicious manipulator of stories, minds and histories. With an army of weaponized AIs and mind-controlled automatons based in Kashmir, they rule over a deadly world where men have lost their souls and women have been slain-all heading to Sarvanash, the Great Apocalypse.

With a motley group of five outlaw boys, Dawn sets upon a tumultuous journey across Time and Space to battle the most technologically lethal empire known to humanity. Her only hope is to seek out secrets hidden in the Niti folk tales of Kashmir and unlock the powers within her to become the ultimate warrior.

As the only female left in the world, Dawn will decide the fate of the Universe. But can she unleash her body, mind and spirit and ignite the fiery cosmic power of all the women who have ever lived?

A sci-fi saga that reveals eternal truths as it traverses the terrains of the Kashmir Valley-the birthplace of the greatest stories ever.

Genre: Fiction/ Dystopian

Pages: 272

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 188.33 INR/$14.00Paperback: 218 INR/$20.99

My Ratings: 4/5

The year is 3000 AD. Dawn and her mother Vidya, reside in a pod in the Himalayas and lead a secluded, yet contented life. On Dawn’s 16th birthday, certain things are unraveled to her, which may change not only hers but the course of the entire generation. Does Dawn have it in her to fight the evil troika of Arman, Dushita, and their lieutenant AIman? At her aid are fives boys, all with different backgrounds and skillsets, and her mother’s immense knowledge about technology+science and Niti stories.

A futuristic science fiction that is eerily close to reality.

What I liked about the book:
–> At many points, I was left wondering whether we are actually headed towards a world described in the story.
–> The importance of storytelling, poetry, and all kind art form which is pointed at many instances throughout the book.
–> The characters of all the five boys who each prove essential to the final facedown with Arman, Dushita and AIman.
–> The retelling of the past via various ways, technologically aided or spoken storytelling.
–> The sheer detailing about each device and object that is being used and talked about in this futuristic world created by the author.
–> The way it describes the beauty of Kashmir and I don’t mean just the natural beauty of the valley. Even the way it talks about the history of the valley and its people, plus its folklore, is just marvelous. What I particularly liked about the book in fact is that it is originated in Kashmir, which for Indian readers is proud-worthy because most dystopian books we have read are originated in the USA or UK.
–> Drives home the point that considering women less than men (or even vice-versa) is a grave mistake.

What I did not like about the book:
–> Sometimes the details (the ones about the technological devices especially) become too complex to comprehend, making the reading slow and dull.
–> Certain suspenseful elements were kind of predictable (but this might be because I’m an avid reader and can easily guess such things. For new readers this might not be the case)

Quotable quotes:

—> Storytelling, irrespective of the medium, is the oldest living art form known to humanity.
—> A great story is the sure-fire antidote to a person’s attraction and surrender to unhealthy pressures.
—> When there is a flow of deep emotions, it triggers the attainment of new-found freedom. This leads to the opening of the mind, to the experience of true reality. True reality is simply the recognition of the total dimensionality of any experience. Reality also requires compliance with the laws of nature and conformity with the laws of science because they are synonymous.
—> Simply, truth is what works. Everything else is false—a mind construct with only momentary impact.
—>Every mother is the first teacher of a child, and every lullaby imparts a teaching.
—> For some reason, one is not afraid of anyone if their eyes are closed.
—> When you grow up alone with your mother, you become extremely self-confident.
—> The price of living in one place for sixteen years is that, after a while, you perceive everything with blinders on.
—> What makes humans alive is the power of imagination that arises from being free.
—> Imagination gives birth to stories of what humans are and can be. Stories have a unique property—they travel from human to human, and so, they become known as folk stories. These folk stories create a social collective that binds humans and makes them act collaboratively with each other. Humans have infinite potential.
—> Timeless tales memorialize infinite potential and unlocks it within you when they touch you. And this is how the right stories create a belief that makes you bigger than life itself. There is no technology that can match that.
—> It is stories that have lives that are longer than anything else.
—> Never had I given a second thought to mere stories and tales. My mother had narrated thousands of stories to me over these sixteen years and I loved listening to those, but that stories had such a deep meaning was beyond me. I could not imagine in my wildest dreams what Yuva was saying could be true—that a story was the most powerful, technological force that there was and could be, and that it operated on such a massive scale. To me, they were just tales, and for someone living in isolation like me, they were just a source of entertainment. They seemed too simple, too ordinary. After listening to Yuva though, I seemed to understand the gravity of what possibilities a small, simple story could hold.
—> Shared stories of friendship, love, courage, bravery and freedom inspire one to attain higher accomplishments. They inspire one to tap into the force within to pursue greatness.The right story has that much power within it and the wrong story is that much of a manipulator.
—> The highest truth of your life story, the one that will last the longest, is your greatest strength in any battle. Know it, protect it and be true to it. When this experiential truth resonates among others, it becomes a universal truth and that is a beautiful sight to behold indeed.
—> Listening is a virtue. So near someone out before interrupting.
—> Each one of us takes our existence for granted, and yet, we are all walking miracles.
—>Elephants, by nature, select a female to lead the herd. It is not the single male’s physical power, but the compassionate female’s capability to get everyone to come together and form a wise decision. It is this skill that makes the herd the most powerful. All female raptors are bigger and stronger than the males. The bigger female eagle can hunt down wolves, while the male eagle is content with mice.
—> The key to pulling everyone together is that you must treat each member of your team equally.
—> What is illegal is all a matter of who you know.
—> A living organism always has the option of maximum choices, which in the old times used to be called swatantra or freedom, and so, based on which energy state a human goes into, it can be modelled by algorithms. One can then answer the sole remaining question that is faced by humanity: “What is Life?”’
—> Honesty is important in what one shares but one has no obligation to share everything.
—> Sharing your life stories is the highest experience of life. Why would you deny yourself that? Stories that are hidden are generally about violence or shame, is it not?
—> ‘What do you think Life is?
‘A mystery that only poets can come closest to describing.’
—> Information is power, wealth and beauty. He who has the most information wins, Human history shows that life’s goal is to gain the unchallenged power of information.
—> Life hides much, much more than it reveals.
—> Connectivity in life was not about the onlooker who was never satiated but about the giver who perceived unity in everybody and everything.
—> The charm of a woman lay when she had the freedom to live the way she wanted and be ever-evolving.
—> It is interesting that the same thing seen by different groups has vastly different meanings for these ancient people. The world’s objects become a mirror of what the people imagine themselves to be.

Buying details:

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In Conversation with Dr. Jyuthica Laghate

Shel Silverstein in his poem titled The Voice, says,

“There is a voice inside of you
That whispers all day long,
“I feel this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong.”
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
Or wise man can decide
What’s right for you–just listen to
The voice that speaks inside.”

How to have a harmony between the mind, body, heart and soul is one of the most sought after questions of the humankind. We all struggle to come to terms about making the most important as well as random decisions because we’re unable to decide whether we should listen to what our mind says or to what our soul says. Like most, I struggle with this too. Hence, when I came to know about a book which could bring me closer to being able to listen to the voice of my soul, I wasn’t foolish enough to not grab a go.

Soul Seances by Dr Jyuthica Laghate is one book I would highly recommend for anyone looking for simple answers on how to listen to their inner voice. Here’s my short review to help you decide.

Check out a detailed review of this book here

After reading the book, I reached out to the wise author of this book, and suggested that she join me for the #AuthorCollaborative segment. To my pleasant surprise, she very kindly agreed to it and was even patient to wait out for me to schedule it more than once.

Before we chatted, as is the norm, she read my book The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories. Her review of the book, was so insightful and well-crafted that it soon became one of my favorites. Here’s a glimpse at the short form of it.

Check out Dr.Jyuthica’s detailed review of TAoBG here

Today, finally after a long wait, we chatted with each other for almost an hour.

IG handle: arusticmind

Here’s a look at the questions I asked Dr. Jyuthica.

She too had some very interesting questions for me. Have a look at them below.

Then it was time for the rapid fire round, where I bombarded her with the following spunky questions.

And she asked me her own fun questions in this round as shown below.

You can listen to our responses on all these questions, in the video below:

Do follow the links below to check out the books discussed in today’s session:

Amazon India link to Soul Seances Amazon.com link to Soul Seances Amazon India link to The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories Amazon.com link to The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories

10, One Line (Funny & Truthful) Definitions of Everyday Things

1. Alarm clock

n. The most hated electronic device.

Photo by Elena Koycheva on Unsplash

2. Toothbrush

n. an excuse to look at yourself in the mirror.

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

3. Mug

n. an object to tell the world about your personality or your favourite show/book/fictional character.

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

4. Plate

n. an object that never judges your food quality or quantity.

Photo by Martin Widenka on Unsplash

4. Cellphone

n. where Instagram works best. Not to be confused with ‘phone’, a device used for making calls.

Photo by Psk Slayer on Unsplash

5. Laptop

n. Something we only use because everything can’t be done from the cellphone.

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

6. Clothes

n. the thing people flaunt on Instagram most (after babies, puppies, kittens, and food, of course)

Photo by Alonso Reyes on Unsplash

7. Fridge/Refrigerator

n. a (close) real-life substitute for the door leading to the magical land of Narnia.

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

8. Bed

n. not to be confused with ‘table; a place to ‘Netflix and Chill’ but where you can’t work or eat.

Photo by Martin Castro on Unsplash

9. Earphones

n. an object used to shut people’s mouths without being rude.

Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash

10. Router

n. the actual real-life substitute for the door leading to the magical land of Narnia.

Photo by inlytics | LinkedIn Analytics Tool on Unsplash

The Case of Known Unknown by Harsh Adani

Book Blurb:

Just when they thought about ending the case, I made my preparation of beginning the chase and that’s where I always won, for I never stopped when they started and never paused when they departed ~ The Stalker

Imagine getting invited to a grand feast, which serves mass-murder as dessert. All eyes are upon SHO Syna, the lead investigator who stakes her career over the case, when she receives letters from The Stalker. Akash Paul, an ingenious detective tags along with authorities to aid in the case and avenge his uncle’s death.

Ten years, three mass-murders, one serial Killer, an undiscovered pattern and just one name ; The Stalker.
A comeback after 5 years! Evidence pointed in the direction of the psycho genius, too many similarities to be ruled out! New quotes with hidden messages are uncovered, there lies just one question for Syna and Akash, after all these years, will they be able to make a difference and end the chase? Or would the identity of The Stalker remain undiscovered forever?

Can you handle the thrill waiting for you inside this book?

Genre: Fiction/Crime & Thriller Mystery

Pages: 226

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 99 INR/ $2.99Paperback (available only in India): 190 INR

My Ratings: 4.9/5

David Fernandes is throwing a grand party to announce some good news. After the grand reveal, all his guests cheer to the news by drinking wine and soon fall DEAD! David, the host, is the sole survivor, so is he is the murderer? That’s where the obviousness ends and the mystery begins.

A serial killer you’ll come to admire.

What I liked about the book:
–> The plot of the story is quite intriguing and gripping which keeps the reader hooked from the start till the end.
–> The little quotes at the end of each chapter, that also give an insight into “The Stalker” who is the main villain/culprit in the entire story.
–> The clues left by the stalker and how they are slowly revealed by the characters, especially the climax where Akash unveils the entire pattern of the stalker.
–> The sheer precision and research that went into the execution of the mass murders (which of course leads to the applaud worthy narrative and research done by the author himself)
–> The book kept me enticed and hooked till the end as the story covers almost all the elements of thrill and suspense (I was also surprised to learn that it was a debut book, which means we can expect some great work from the author in the future too)
–> The book lays a great foundation for any prequel/sequel to the story.
–> Leaves an important message that loneliness and lack of a family during childhood can lead to serious mental issues during adulthood.

What I did not like about the book:
–> Syna and Akash’s romance should have got some more narrative space. (Also, what happened to Catherine, and what part did she play in Akash’s past?)
–> There were many loose ends about supporting characters.

Quotable quotes:

—> A story judged on the basis of its initial stages is a missed opportunity towards a marvellous journey savoured by those who flipped till the end of all pages.
—> Seven colours can form a beautiful rainbow, but mix them with seven emotions and it will perform the Seven Deadly Sins.
—> How did they get a wind of this so soon? But after all, it was Media, there is no telling as to what they can’t do.
—> We all hide behind our masks, deceiving ourselves, pretending to be someone we aren’t. Yet, the one who succeeds in believing it as his own is the one who becomes a part of the ‘Great Deception’.
—> Human beings act as if nothing bothers them, but the things they try to ignore, keep coming back and haunts them.
—> Solitude helped him get acquainted with books of authors who had intriguing stories to tell.
—> Unsolved criminal cases made him anxious.
—> Pure love never dies.
—> Certain circumstances drag you in a black hole, which you cannot dodge or change, you face it, without thinking about the aftermath. Only Love had had enough virtue to terminate all evil.
—> They say, united we stand, divided we fall. But the reason our world still stands and prevails is because all the nations are divided.
—> We are the media, all we need is an argument to light some fire, we don’t have to worry about how it spreads.
—> Wonder why our ancestors achieved more than us? Because they never kept a count of their victories.
—> Always remember, if you want to find out about someone, you must dig and pursue their history.
—> He knew her so very well, that’s what a girl would expect from her lover.
—> The human race’s impatience is similar to nature’s forces of lightning and sound. It moves forward with great speed, destroying things, realizing the sound of it, too late after the damage is done.
—> And there’ll come a time when you’ll realize that all those scars that you have, they aren’t symbols of bravery but, symbols of foolishness.
—> A glance at history will help you comprehend that it was love that waged many wars and hatred that ended all of them.
—> Sacrifice is part of teamwork.
—> A human mind is the most intriguing topic, but also a victim of curiosity that refuses to stop, when curious.
—> The unusual part about Tihar Jail is that it focused more on the developmental and rehabilitation facilities for inmates. For example, the music therapy that the prison offered, in hopes of directing the inmates towards developing a positive outlook on life.
—> Charles Manson was a cult leader. He had formed his own family called, “The Manson Family”, wherein he had convinced the family members to murder people and start a race war in America. The reason why they became so famous was because one of their victims was an American actress named Sharon Tate.
—> Never be the one who knows secrets, always be the one who makes them.
—> Legacy is a dangerous artefact, a rare gem to those who understand its potential, but a real benefactor to those who understand it even better. Gems always ended up in museums, but benefactors would store it as undiscovered antiquity. For it is undiscovered secrets that make something powerful and desirable.
—> Belief is very important to an individual.
—> It’s easy to end things once they start, as even death is determined even before you are born. But what’s unexpected is a comeback, for it ciphers the end of dawn.
—> No one wishes for pain and destruction to return to them, but the pain is like tidal waves, it keeps on coming, sometimes small while sometimes gigantic.
—> Great leaders fell to their knees because they were easily influenced by their companions, by the people who were around them.
—> History was his mentor that taught him the actual meaning and importance of life, through such different names and leaders. Even then, as examples of History have shown, tribute had to be given to those names, to those leaders, for they were his inspirations at some point.
—> A brave King fights and dies alongside his army, for his kingdom, but a smart one stands behind his army and protects his own Kingship.
—> Every end is a sign of a new beginning.
—> Every year, humans have made new discoveries and enhancement in all possible fields, but if only they attempted to discover what is within themselves, they’d realise they are much more than just bones and skulls.
—> Feelings are more important than sights.
—> They say, live every moment, but every moment is one step closer for Death to embark and take your moment away for eternity.
—> He had a huge bank balance, yet there was no balance in his life.
—> ‘You take away my anger.’ He said, holding her hand. ‘Sex is not my antidote; your presence is.
—> Everyone has a secret to bear, some reserve them for their prey, while others take it to their graves.
—> I used to wonder why our hearts lie on the left side of the body, and then I realized it was too afraid to be right, for humanity cannot bear the sight of what is right.
—> He felt his watch betrayed him during phases where time meant everything.
—> Even the most important asset moves fast when you are slow.
—> Not every story has a hero.
—> He glanced at the flocks of birds flying in a group, he wanted to be like them, to fly away, away from all the troubles, away from his fate.
—> He searched for his escape, he searched for a solution, he suffered from pain, he suffered from isolation. Standing between the world of realism and his own world of wishes, he asked the creation if he was vicious. The universe answered with a tale of pain and joy, if a man was happy then so was he void. Breaking the law, he became his own creator, granting people with solace and thrones. Humanity fulfilled their utmost wishes and dreamed of every fantasy, just like witches. Bending the reality, he became every man’s first want, and they called him by the name of Thoughts.
—> It was a tactic which he had learnt, tell them the truth they want to hear and before they understand it was just another layer of lies, finish them.
—> It’s hard to know when’s the last time you may see someone but it is harder when you know that it’s your last time, and yet you cannot convey it to anyone.
—> Time never stops for anyone.
—> For her, love meant having no secrets. It was a complete surrender of feelings.
—> History swears as witness, if you weren’t hated by the masses, you were never an influential leader.
—> Opportunities come with responsibilities and risks.
—> You look at the mirror, admiring your face, doubting those praises, looking for grace, yearning for space, struggling to chase, and that is what makes you a part of The Human Race.
—> It was the toughest battle for her, to win over her emotions and control her anger, her pain and her tears.
—> Funny thing about crime, you never have to worry about the legacy, it would always be continued by some other killer.
—> Devil is not a title but a mask preserved by a deity to eradicate humanity. Which is why every new era has a different Satan but the same divinity”.
—> It was the biggest enemy of those who opposed it and the most beneficiary for those who followed it. Humanity was its primary disciple and it was the legend who had no desires. It had no foe, nor had it allies, yet it had the most formidable weapon that could take away even the entire mankind. It never halted for anyone, yet the strange thing was it belonged with everyone. Fortunate were those who treasured it, dead were those who tried to measure it. It took us ages to conclude that it could never be controlled; oh, how fast did it make those years get rolled. Its warnings came with a chime, mankind called it ‘Time’.
—> You yearn for a life full of happiness and devoid of pain. But the fact is, when the sun is too bright, you run for those shadows, only then realising how important shade is to cover you from getting burnt.
—> It may sound crazy to you. But if everyone was loved, if everyone was granted this powerful emotion, there would never have been The Stalker, or any of my kind. But damn us humans, we are more interested in satisfying our egos and ignoring the ones who need it the most, the one about whom we have no idea what they are going through, yet we dismiss all of them, without realising that not everyone would have the same patience or the stomach to stand all of it by himself/herself.
—> Did love make her vulnerable, or was it her emotions?
—> It’s so difficult to make important choices when you are just granted seconds of time to decide upon it.
—> In a room packed with varied emotions, the potential dominator was Hatred, lining behind Hatred was Revenge, who had Anger to reinforce his back. On the other side was Malice, impatient and excited to acquire anything it saw. In the far corner was the aura which everyone was afraid of, his name was Fear. And amongst all of them, surrounded from every angle, stood Love. Love was the ultimate antidote for all the emotions, yet Love remained confined and bounded, never unleashing bounded, never unleashing its true power. For like every story, Love was afraid, and once again, Darkness loomed over Love’s illumination.
—> Technology has surely bridged the gap of distance yet we are still distant from our closed ones.

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

Author’s social media handles:

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Mother, Daughter, Mother (A Poem)

Your ‘Did you have lunch?’

Your, ‘Don’t wear that dress’

Your ‘Who is coming with you?’

Your ‘Don’t be out too late’

Your ‘Who is he and why are you talking to him so much?’

Your ‘You deserve better than him’

Your ‘Do you need some money?’

Your ‘Try to cut down on your expenses’

Photo by  Janko Ferlič on Unsplash

To most of which I replied, “Mom, you don’t understand”

As it felt overbearing and sometimes irritating too.

It all made sense,

When the tables turned,

And I got someone in my life

Who said, “Mom, you don’t understand”