Manali Manan Desai's Blog, page 56

MURDER BEFORE CARNIVAL: A Tale Of The Floating Body by Sameer Kumar

Book blurb:

When a heinous crime attacks a religious proceeding, the Chief Minister vows to solve the case in 48 hours, only to be betrayed by her own doctrine or was she! The state assembly election was due in West Bengal, and the festival of democracy was to inaugurate itself in 60 hours. The stakes soared rooftop when a lifeless corpse was found inside an idol during the celebration of Durga Puja. The sizzle and chill was observed by all. Aahana, an independent psychologist, was assigned the case in isolation by higher authorities when it was ascertained that the murder was being covered-up internally. How deep she can go to exhume the purpose of enormity is for her to decide

Genre: Fiction/ Crime & Murder Mystery

Pages: 117

Format: Kindle eBook

My Ratings: 3.9/5

Religious and political turmoil gets further conflicted in this shrouded murder mystery. A dead body is found in the most shocking and ghastly scenario. From the policeman who is handling the case, to the minister who backs and supports the investigation, everyone is under the radar of suspicion. Read this murder mystery to find some of the most haunting answers.

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What I liked about the book:
—> The character name list and their role in the story laid out right in the beginning.
—> The way the murder and crime is committed (or rather described and narrated) is gruesome and bone chilling; which points to the writing capacity of the author.
—> That everyone is playing their own game and is a suspect or ally to the crime.
—> The political and religious scenario In Kolkata is brought out well.
—> The level of suspense and thrill is maintained throughout.
—> The open ended conclusion about the whereabouts of one of the lead characters.

What I did not like about the book:
—> The narrative style is inconsistent.
—> The PoVs change abruptly which make the reading confusing.
—> The character sketches and background stories of each character could have been laid out more clearly.

Quotable quotes:
—> Before the flame fell on the ground,
Before the flame could rest,
Hitherto the matchstick bent itself
Enormity had stepped abreast.
—> Escape will always be an escape. It is like running and never stopping.
—> Many a time, humans themselves cloud their thoughts, and knowing about oneself helps in some sense.
—> We all want to blame someone for the incidents but our own selves.
—> It was not the first time that a dead has been the dice of play for the game of power.
—> In the times of election, the decree of emotion decides the democratic outcome.
—> Civilization was never meant to live fairly but to let the class suppress the poor and seemingly uncultured.
—> Divide and rule was a design of Britishers. They are gone, we need to move on. We can’t let the country be ruled for another century with the same Cow and Goat concept. The civics of the society needed some wrenching.
—> Everyone takes a new skin every second. How can one be the same all the time?
—> People are identified not with what they speak but what they hide.
—> Usually, people have esteem on words or paper, and on them alone they decay.
—> Men know not the right time to talk about irrelevant subjects.

Buying details:

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Battle for Bittora by Anuja Chauhan

Book blurb:

Twenty-five-year-old Jinni lives in Mumbai, works in a hip animation studio and is perfectly happy with her carefree life. Until her bossy grandmother shows up and announces that it is Jinni’s ‘duty’ to drop everything and come and contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from their sleepy hometown, Bittora. Jinni swears she won’t but she soon ends up swathed in cotton saris and frumpy blouses, battling prickly heat, corruption and accusations of nymphomania as candidate Sarojini Pande, a daughter of the illustrious Pande dynasty of Pavit Pradesh. And if life isn’t fun enough already, her main opposition turns out to be Bittora ex-royal, Zain Altaf Khan – an irritatingly idealistic though undeniably lustworthy individual with whom Jinni shares a complicated history. Enlivened by Chauhan’s characteristic brand of wicked humour and sexy romanticism, this is a rollicking new tale of young India.

Genre: Fiction/ Romantic comedy

Pages: 432

Format: Paperback/ Kindle eBook

Price:

Paperback: 315 INR/$13.89Kindle: 214.25 INR/$7.99

My Ratings: 4/5

This book is a laughter ride most of the times. However, it does tend to drag at places. What I liked the most is how, the author with her own hilarious, fun way, manages to give the readers an insight into what it takes to fight an election in India. The USP of this book is that, even for someone who is not particularly interested in politics,  the workings of an election, the way Anuja Chauhan has put them in the book, are very funny and also quite informative.

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Written with a mix of humor & some tender moments, the book is definitely a good read. The  core team of Jinni provides us with ample humor and sometimes great insights about the political scenario which even Jinni (even though she is the one fighting the election) is unaware about. My favorite character? Amma (Jinni’s gradma) who we can immediately identify with our own grandparents or even our parents, whose views on politics are so religiously biased. Though a fun and light read, I think it could have been trimmed by some 50-80 pages because it was a slog at times.

Witty, quirky, fresh and spicy – it has all the drama of a Bollywood movie, making it a mass likeable book. It even has the romance of a chick flick and humorous satire of a north Indian political setting, which add to the overall appeal.

What I liked:
–> Jinni’s (the female lead) dry sense of humour.
–> The suspense of who will finally win the election keeps you glued to the book and the way the book unravels towards the end keeps you guessing about the conclusion till the last page.
–> Gives use a political hope (for India).
–> The on-point satirical and political humour.

What I didn’t like:
–> Non-understandable terms and contexts (especially political ones) for non-Indians.
–> Less presence of ZAK (Zain Altaf Khan-the male lead)

Buying details:

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The Elephant Girl by Chittaranjan Pathak

Book blurb:

The forests of Eastern India, during the late years of the British Raj, were rife with stories about a mythical maiden riding a wild pachyderm. On a train ride through these deep jungles, a series of strange events unfold to pique the curiosity of Raj Narayan, the crown prince of Paschim Behar. Two attempts on Raj’s life as well as the murder of his father, the Maharajah and his favourite brother in the Royal Palace seem to be linked to a conspiracy to shroud the legend of the elephant girl in secrecy. What starts as a short trip soon hurtles crown prince Raj into a rollercoaster ride of adventure as he becomes obsessed to get to the bottom of the mystery of the elephant girl. Torn between his urge to seek out the mysterious maiden notwithstanding the advanced pregnancy of his wife and the evolving intrigues around succession amongst the brothers and his beautiful step mother, he finds himself in the maze of royal intrigue with the players shuttling between the opulent royal palace and deep dark forest with royal secrets. Will he betray his loving wife’s trust to be with the maiden? Will he find the murderer? Will he survive the savage mysterious forests and live to tell his tale?

Genre: Fiction/Period Fantasy

Pages: 308

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 49 INR/$5.00Paperback: 349 INR/$24.99

My Ratings: 4/5

This period book brought so many interesting aspects of a pre-independent India to my notice which I was unaware of. Filled with rich history of our land and some great elements of suspense, this book makes for a thrilling read. If you’re an animal lover, this one should be on the top of your TBR.

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What I liked about the book:
-Vivid description.
-The protagonist Raj, has many flaws that make him more human and relatable for the reader.
-Gives an ample glimpse into the life of royals during pre-independence era.
– A lot of twists and turns which keep you hooked to the book.
– Pleasantly surprising climax.

-The glossary at the end as it helps understand the story better.

What I did not like about the book
-The narrative seems a bit dull and dragged at times
-The story could be fine-tuned or polished to make it more compelling.

Buying details:

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Pentacles by Sabarna Roy

Book blurb:

Pentacles comprises one long story and four short poems by Sabarna Roy. The work delightfully bridges the gap between the mundane and arcane writings of today and provides an interesting, yet intellectually stimulating, treat for the discerning reader. New Life is a long story written from the perspective of a successful adult whose mother had deserted the family for another man. The teenage angst and the scars it has left behind on the psyche of the protagonist are subtly reflected in the character. The different elements and characters of the story are beautifully interwoven to produce an intense and compelling story of an adult haunted by the trauma of being deserted by his mother. The work is interspersed with thought-provoking views on issues like love and socio-economic conditions in India. The traditional rhyme and metre dominated poems are on love, loss and longing. Unshackled by the bonds of rhyme and metre, Sabarna s free verses evoke the stark reality of urban life, hitting you straight in the guts. The use of everyday urban imagery adds to the appeal of the compositions. The concrete prison of urban life and the unfulfilled desire to escape to a simple life is aptly brought out in The Tower. The other poems of the collection are more biographical in nature with the protagonist being the member of the fairer sex. The free verses sketch out their life story with its attendant pathos, poignancy and logic. The best part of all the compositions is that the reader will definitely identify with the poet and will, in one form or other, have similar stories to narrate.

Genre: Fiction/ Poetry/Short Story

Pages: 84

Format: Paperback/Kindle

Price:

Paperback: 100 INR/$7.00Kindle: 35.40 INR/$7.00

My Ratings: 4/5

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A book of love and loss. Childhood scarring and how it impacts a child as well as a single parent are brought out quite well in the short story ‘New Life’. Though the short story is good, I liked the poems more.

What I liked about the book:
– The author talks about sadness but goes on to highlight that life doesn’t stop at sorrows.
– How the first story reflects on childhood incidents impacting the dynamics of adulthood relationships and other majority relationships.
-Fluid language and easy vocabulary.
– Depicts several human emotions which we face in our daily lives.
-The book vividly explain how life changes with time and goes on despite a few hiccups.

What I did not like about the book:
-The short story ended abruptly leaving me searching for answers.
-As someone who enjoys rhyming verses when it comes to poetry, I found the abstract form of poetry a little tiring after a while.

Overall a one-time easy read.

Quotable quotes:

–> Loneliness is like smoke. It starts from a definite point and ends up everywhere indefinitely. It eats up the soul, actually chews it to miniscule shreds, from inside and out.

–>Money, as it sounds crass and insensitive. When you say wealth, it sounds loaded with meaning and value, however non-existent. It satisfies the insides of our mouths when we pronounce the word and also the tunnels of our ears.

–>People who succumb to trauma are celebrated and become heroes. In the process, people who create trauma are pardoned and forgotten for life

–>Human characters are amplified by their reaction to trauma. People who internalize trauma are celebrated and become heroes. People who succumb to trauma are shamed and become victim.
⁣–>Money is earned by burning all the gifts of nature and converting then into waste. Period!⁣

–>There are two kinds of beauties on this planet,
one, who lose their beauty to age, and another, who ripen with time.
The former makes me immensely sad,
While the latter happy and strangely envious.

Buying details:

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Wild Card by Asfiya Rahman

Book blurb:

Karan Mehrotra thinks he has it all. He is about to marry the love of his life, Riya and is on his way to win at Wimbledon, fulfilling a childhood dream of his. However destiny has other plans for him and he is forced to put aside his dreams when life throws a wild card at him. Eight years later destiny coyly lays another opportunity in front of him. Does he finally get another chance to fulfill his childhood dream or will he let his fear stop him from taking up the challenge? Find out how a tennis champion is forced to step away from his fame into obscurity and how a bossy little girl forces him to take up one of the hardest challenges of his life and face the life he had left behind.

Genre: Fiction/Drama

Pages: 176

Format: Paperback/Kindle eBook

Price:

Paperback: 49 INR/$0.99Kindle: 125 INR/$7.40

My Ratings: 4/5

This book tells a story of sports which teaches us about things that go beyond the court. If you’re a sports lover, here’s a story you’ll love and appreciate. Read this one to understand Tennis and what goes into the making of a good sportsperson.

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What I liked about the book:
–>The relationship dynamic between the lead father-daughter duo aka Karan and Roshni.
–> The multiple POVs which add intrigue to the overall plot and story.
–> The easy camaraderie and fun banter encounters between Karan and Vikram, and Roshni and Vikram.
–> I’m not much of a Tennis buff so this was somewhat of a GK read too!
–> Effectively drives home the point that sports isn’t just about physical strength but also needs strong emotional grit.

What I did not like about the book:
–> The story talks about Roshni, one of the two lead characters of this story, after almost halfway through the book.

Quotable quotes:
–> He needed to play his strengths, but more importantly, he needed to pick on his opponent’s weaknesses.
–> The morning was dull and gloomy. The sky was overcast but there was no sign of rain. Roshni hated such weather. “Either it should rain or the clouds should go away. This kind of weather makes me feel sad.”
–> I have to stop thinking about what’s best for me and start thinking about what’s best for all of us.
–> You had a dream, you worked hard towards it. But if you had to walk away from it, it’s not your fault.
–>Blood, sweat and tears that went into being here.
–>So close and yet so far.

Buying details:

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Adhuri Khwahishein (Hinglish Edition) by Bhakti Motta

Book blurb:

Adhuri Khwahishein is a collection of poems that talk about unfulfilled desires, heart break, bridges burnt, self love, childhood, and so much more. Every poem in this collection will touch your heart. Some will make you sad, some will give you joy, but most importantly they will all give you hope. Individually they stand on their own, collectively they weave a story.

Genre: Fiction/Poetry

Language: Hindi

Pages: 44

Format: Kindle eBook

Price: 99 INR/$2.99

My Ratings: 4/5

An insightful ride of emotions and thoughts

Are you a lover of Hindi language? Do you like poetry? If yes, then you should definitely give this book a try. It covers a wide array of topics from love to relationships, to familial ties and societal expectations and experiences.

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What I liked about the book:
—> The writing strikes an emotional chord with the reader.
—> Though written by a woman, it uses male narrative in many poems.
—> For someone who hasn’t read much of Hindi literature, this makes a good beginner’s book.
—> Some of my favourite titles include ‘मैं तेरी डोर तू मेरी पतंग’, ‘कोरा कोरा’, ‘लोग क्या कहेंगे’, ‘कभी कभी’, ‘अधूरी ख्वाहिशें’, ‘दो कदम’ and ‘खत’

What I did not like about the book:
—> A few poems felt dragged and dull.
—> I’m no expert in Hindi language and literature, but the language seemed a bit colloquial.

Quotable quotes:
—> हर ख्वाहिश जो पूरी हुई,
दो पल की खुशी दे गयी,
हर ख्वाहिश जो अधूरी रही,
जिंदगी भर का सबक सीखा गई ।
बस यही हैं इस जिंदगी का सार ।
—> यह दुनिया बहुत खूबसूरत हैं,
इसकी खूबसूरती मुझसे भी हैं ।
—> जो खो गया हैं, उसे ना तलाशो ।
जो मेरा हैं, मेरा रहेगा सदा, जिसे मिलना हैं,
वो खुद आकर होगा खड़ा ।
जो मेरा नहीं उसके आगे मिन्नतें क्या करना भला ?
—> जरा जरा कर यूँ ही जिंदगी बीत जाएगी,
जरा जरा कर खुशियों बतौर ले ए दिल,
जरा जरा कर ग़म यूँ ही कम होता जाएगा ।
—> कब तक अपने आप को दूसरों से कम बताओगे,
कभी तो अपने आप से प्यार जताओगे ।
—> शिकायत तो रोज करते हो,
कभी तो किसी का आभार मान लिया करो ।
—> भविष्य और भूतकाल के बारे में तो रोज सोचते हो,
कभी वर्तमान में जी लिया करो ।
—> इन्सान बन कर क्या पाया है मैंने ?
धर्म मजहब ने डर फैलाया हैं ,
मंदिर मस्जिद की लड़ाई में,
सिर्फ इन्सान ने इंसानियत को हराया हैं ।
—> क्यूँ हैं यह दुनिया सिर्फ कहती ?
क्यूँ हैं यह दुनिया सिर्फ कहती ?
क्यूँ नहीं यह दुनिया सुनती ?
क्यूँ नहीं देखती ?
मैं कितनी बार हूँ गिरती, फिर भी उठ खड़ी हो जाती
—> हम तो अकेलेपन मे भी मौज करते हैं,
तुम तो महफिलों मे भी अकेले हो,
कितने दिन दिल चुराओगे सवालों से,
कभी ना कभी जवाब तलाशोगे ।
—> जिंदगी तू बहती जाती नदी की तरह,
हर मोड़ पे मूड जाती लहरों की तरह ।
जिंदगी तू हैं उस मधुर गीत की तरह,
जिसे गुनगुनाती रहूँ मैं सदा ।
—> हर शाम क्रिकेट, और शटल कॉक का दंगल हुआ करता था,
पेप्सी चुस्की, और आम रस से यह गला कहाँ सूखा रहता था ।
चांदनी रातों में छत पे बच्चों का बसेरा हुआ करता था,
नानी की लोरी, लूडो, और सांप सीडी का डेरा लगा करता था ।

Buying details:

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Giran: Priceless Memories by Sahil Miglani

Book blurb:

This book is a collection of poems that showcase the essence of romance, heartbreak, fiction, hardship and friendship. The author feels that one who reads these poems can relate to them. He feels that at the end of the day, everyone just needs love and affection from that one person who can make them smile. Poems like khud se mulaqaat, Bachpan, Bas tera zikr hai, sawera and many more are inspired by the author’s life. The poems in this book are a blend of several emotions such as happiness, loneliness, nostalgia and love.

Genre: Fiction/Poetry

Pages: 144

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 70 INR/$2.99Paperback: 150 INR/$9.99

My Ratings 4/5

The poems in this book depict a wide array of feelings and quite admirably so. Read this one if you’re a lover of Hindi poetry and language.

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What I liked about the book:

—> The beautiful cover.
—> Light and quick read, and yet an impactful one.
—> It covers a wide range of topics.
—> Has abstract as well as rhyming scheme poems.
—> Absolutely loves the poems titled ‘Chalo aaj ek nayi patang udaate hai’, ‘Ek Dost’, ‘Uphaas’ and ‘Manzil’

What I did not like about the book:

—> It would have made a deeper impact in Hindi text rather than using English text for Hindi.

Quotable quotes:

—> Chalo aaj ek nayi patang udaate hai.
Palkon mein basse khwabon Se,
Naye rishtey sajate hai.
—> Dooriyon ko hum waqt pe
Kyun chod dete hain,
Ek doosre se muh kyun mod lete hai.
—> Yaadon mein base ho,
Nigahon se kab jaoge.
Zehen mein chhipe ho,
Iraadon se kab jaoge.
Un rahon Se kab jaoge,
Khwabon Se Kab jaoge,
Marham toh nahi laga paye,
Par zakhmon Se kab jaoge.
—> Dekha hai us dost ko aaj, ek aise mukaam par,
ke usse ab aankhein main mila na paya.
—> Bereham si hai yeh duniya,
Bewajah mazaak udaati hain,
Baat baat pe taane de jaati hain
—> Muqaddar se nahi bante raaste,
Raaste bante hain iraadon se.
Chattano se nahi rukti aandhiyan,
Na rukti pahadon se. Hausla ho toh milti hai manzil,
Nahi milti manzil haar jaane se…
—> Kuch apne mile the jo apne na the,
Kuch begaano Se dil ki baat hui.
—> Zindagi ki raah mein,
Mushkilein milengi har kadam,
Apne na saath de toh,
Gairon mein dhoond lo hum dum…
—> Chalo aaj koi geet naya gungunaate hain
Muskurate hue palon ko phir sajaate hain,
Chipe hua aanshuon ko bhulatein hain,
Nayi ek duniya phir basaate hain,
Aaj phir ek naya sawera hai…
—> Andhare mai kyu rehte ho,
Ujaalo mein aa jao,
thoda sa muskura jao.
Ilm Nahi hai toh naseehat na diya karo,
Andharo ne mujhe panah di hai

Buying details:

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An Unquenchable Excess of Love by Anjutha Ranganathan

Book blurb:

“Even when you hate them,

You can’t deny the fact that

The hate in itself comes from

An Unquenchable Excess of Love.”

Love, a four-letter word that rules the world, is the ultimate source of immense pleasure as well as the deepest pain. It creates magic as well as havoc. This collection of poems looks at love from every angle, to paint an honest and beautiful image of what it means to fall in love.

Let’s take life as it is. We are all humans and love is inevitable to us. ‘The Falling’, ‘The Breaking’ and ‘The Healing’ is what’s supposed to happen to us. Otherwise, if lucky, we only fall in love and a forever.

An Unquenchable Excess of Love is for someone who has loved so passionately and has faced tremendous destruction by it and ultimately grown, become wise and shone out of it.

Genre: Fiction/Poetry

Pages: 248

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 120 INR/$4.99Paperback: 254 INR/$15.99

My Ratings: 5/5

‘Even if not, love remains & lives forever in our caged hearts.’

This book will definitely take you back to your golden days of love and be a memorable read. It will make you smile, cry & heal you all at the same time.

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This is divided into 3 chapters,
1. ‘the falling’- This one is all about love – the hopeless romantic, initial days of love, sweet & forever moments, happy times.
2. ‘the breaking’- it will break you a little I suppose, it’s about the breaking apart of two souls when they shouldn’t.
3. ‘the healing’-definitely will give you some solace as it has all the elements to keep you going in life – motivation, courage etc. And most importantly, some remarkable & keen life lessons. So this book is a blend of emotions.

Quotable quotes:
–>’to be in love is to love someone from a distance.’
–>for only love has got that overwhelming, undeniable and irresistible power to babble.
–>fall in love with someone’s art; you’ll automatically fall for them.’
–>often, we convince ourselves that some people are not wrong just because we love them.
–>you’ve always been surrounded by falsity, fakeness and imposters;
so when it’s real, you doubt it.
–> still how long will you listen to that song?
as long as all the hidden feelings piercing in like shards of glass gets repressed,” replied she.
until all of its lyrics lose its meaning.
–>Galaxies
at the end of the day, when you feel so broken, remember, we are there watching over you.
–>and in the end, what we did we do?
innocent, growing through the ages, just falling hard a little more, aching crazy towards a never ending journey.
Poetry lovers should not miss this one. And even non-poetry lovers will surely enjoy it! 

Buying details:

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The Unsolved case of an Indian Woman by Puneeth JH

Book blurb:

Meet Tandel, more precisely, Miss Tandel. A forty-year-old advocate, who fights corruption, solves crimes and stops women harassment.

“You are gonna die soon.” She received a threatening note.

“There is no evidence, madam. I guess you are overthinking.” The Police officer had said.

“You are hallucinating. You may be Paranoid.” The doctor added.

> Everyone thinks she was mad!
She was not.
Or was she?

To know the truth, read her story— “The Unsolved Case Of An Indian Woman”, and explore a riot of perspectives.

Genre: Fiction/Crime, Thriller & Mystery

Pages: 117

Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback

Price:

Kindle eBook: 59 INR/$1.30Paperback: $6.96

My Ratings: 4.2/5

Depicting the story of a successful middle aged lawyer, Miss Tandel, this book has all the right mix of ingredients of a crime and mystery thriller to keep you hooked.

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What I liked about the book:

—> The parallel present and past storylines which keep the reader curious about the identity of the characters.
—> The bits with information about Portuguese rule in the Union Territories of India, Project MKUltra, application called spoof-card, Braid’s eye fixation, et al, felt like a bit of GK added to a fiction book and I found that very insightful and knowledgeable.
—> Being from Gujarat myself, I loved that the story is around Vapi and Daman, and even talks a bit about my hometown Surat.
—> All the characters are portrayed in a manner that makes the reader suspicious about them.
—> How the ending is left open to depiction.

What I did not like about the book:

—> Sneha Tandel seems to be a smart woman, so it was kind of difficult to understand why she fell for and trusted Dr.Patel so easily.
—> The back and forth, and even the conversations of Sneha Tandel with so many characters became confusing for me as a reader.

Quotable quotes:

—> Psychiatric consultations are like an open-heart surgery. Once we cut the skin, it’s not enough that we fix the problem, we should also sew back the wound.
—> ‘The only way you can control stress is by believing that you are not stressed. That’s the medicine.’ ‘Can belief be a medicine?’ ‘Yes, it can. Belief is both, strength and weakness. You just have to believe that you are happy, that solves half the problem.’
—> We all need to adjust according to the situations but there are times when we need to face the situation and take the appropriate action when we have the strength to do so before it’s too late. Walk out before you need to jump.
—> Meenu looked at her mother in astonishment. Her mother always had a plan. Maybe that is what real women do.
—> Love is fated, and no one can choose his or her companion.
—> ‘What makes a perfect love conversation?’ He asked. ‘Maybe… It’s just LOVE!’ She answered. The doctor smiled as she continued, ‘Only love makes a perfect love conversation. Because, even when the conversation ends, all that remains is love,’
—> Fighting the war is easy but not when you have to fight against your loved ones. Win or lose. It hurts either way.
—> True love is something when two people would do anything for each other even without seeing each other.
—> Curiosity has made man invent everything that we see around.
—> The world seems to be beautiful when one is in love.
—> Death is like a game of rolling dice. No matter who plays it for you, it will always remain uncertain. It can come anytime. No matter who protects you. When you have to go, you have to go. There is no choice. But what seemed to be worse was the fear of death. 

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When You Believe That Happiness Starts From Self ~ A Google Program Manager & A Home Decor Blogger Shares Her Story

Tina Fey, says,

“I think every working mom probably feels the same thing. You go through big chunks of time where you’re thinking, “this is impossible – oh, this is impossible.” And then you just keep going and keep going and sort of do the impossible.”

In this week’s #FridayFeature blog focusing on our #WonderWomen segment, we present to you a Mom, who is a multi-talented, super achiever woman. Meet, Program Manager @ Google, and founder of Home Décor & Lifestyle page, Sunahre Khwab, Sneh Tarang Randev. She comes with a 13-year work experience (post her Engineering and MBA degrees), a four month experience with Content Creation & Blogging, but years of experience as a home manager and a mother. How and when did she decide to pursue a hobby-based profession besides her full-time job, and how does she manage time between her job, her hobby and her other personal life duties and responsibilities? Let’s find out in her own words.

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“I absolutely never found time to pursue any hobby or let out the creative juices in the last 15 odd years. As an individual, I have been a goal driven, hardcore workoholic and perfectionist. Right after my studies, I started working and got married in the same year. My husband and I had known each other for a long time and were always focused on a plan to create a stable and successful future. I worked super hard, travelled to different countries for assignments multiple times, had 2 kids, but never took a break from work.

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So much so that I was back in office in 4 months each time while never compromising on my parental duties and responsibilities. I have enjoyed each bit and am proud of my personal and professional growth – as an individual, mother of my girls and leader for the team I manage. Having said that, I always wanted to engage in a hobby too, and the lockdown provided the perfect opportunity to pursue it. All that I used to enjoy as a younger version of myself in addition to what I have developed as interests over the time, started to pour out onto my Instagram page @sunahre_khwab .

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I wasn’t sure initially how it would unfold but my professional avatar has taught me to learn on the job, self-teach and innovate to navigate un-trudged paths pretty quickly. While I focused on the originality and uniqueness of my content, I also did some research about the relevant handles, hashtags and it all started to come together from there. 

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I don’t believe in calling anything a struggle. I am a strong advocate of the phrase “Get things done”. Strength and growth come from efforts and tough times (which can be referred to as struggle if you will).  Of Course there are roadblocks and difficulties and that is true for every human on this planet and for every task one does. Especially as a woman in India, difficulties and roadblocks tend to be a bit more given our non inclusive and patriarchal mindset for majority of the country’s population. I come from a small town in Jharkhand. I always had a modest physical appearance. My parents had a humble income and a transferable job so we never had a permanent home . So I always never had stable childhood friends because I had to change schools often. We were two sisters in a society where having a son was a matter of pride. According to my relatives, girls were groomed and schooled for a good arranged marriage. So was it tough? Yes. Was it beautiful still? absolutely yes. 

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I give the credit to my parents for their sheer hard work and dedication for laying the foundation to shape my life the way it is today. I still recall, my mom’s ask to my dad when we started schooling to put us in a convent school as she wanted us to learn fluent English because she couldn’t. She did good because speaking skills and communication style has been my strong forte because of this! I think the point where I gave wings to my dreams was when Dad and I decided I should do Engineering. The college I joined was in Uttarakhand and was quite far from home. So for the first time, a student from an all Girls school who had her Dad drop her to tuition himself, went into an all boarding college. All boarding meant all students were staying on campus as the college was perched among the hills, which to be honest was huge fun. 

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This place changed me. I became Me. I was the only Bihari girl in a college full of UP and Uttarakhand students. Naturally I faced some ragging and some teasing too, but I eventually settled in. I still recall singing aloud in the corridors of my hostel and making maggi and chai late in the night with friends, chit chatting about the future.So a few things happened – I became the Badminton convenor, college Table Tennis champion, won several debates and extempore, became the college magazine editor and also met my future husband. So in a nutshell, I arrived and found my personality which was of an ambitious, fierce but humble, well-educated woman.

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Another major milestone in my life has been joining Google. Needless to say, I love my job and I am extremely proud of my company’s contribution in the evolution of my thought process. The inclusivity, the rejection of bias, the identification and control of microaggressions, the aspect of swaying away from being judgemental and being more objective and the overall encouragement to pursue my goals and dreams is extremely helpful.My journey as a blogger is also something that has been greatly appreciated by my company and I have been featured in the company’s newsletter recently. I thrive on life. I am an extremely positive person and am generally motivated to do something every day. I tell myself that I am God’s favorite child and I need to maintain the spot! I just think that we are blessed to be in this human form and we only have this one life and hence I am always inspired to make it beautiful and productive.

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Having my girls around also is a big motivator in itself. You see, your children see you as their role models for most parts and hence your moods and your attitude rub on them quickly. I feel happy when they talk about me with their friends and teachers etc, with pride in their voice and beaming eyes, saying my Mom will have a solution for every problem – I totally feel like a wonder woman. 

Having said that, if there is one person who motivates me to do better every single day, it’s my best friend, my confidante, my partner in crime – my husband. Aditya and I have known each other almost 18 years now and I think apart from the fact that he truly believes in me, my potential and my passions and pushes me every day to reach the stars; I also learn from his extremely grounded and unclenched persona. I think he is a huge ying to my yang and a lot of what I am today is because of him. I still recall when I started the Instagram page, his first ask was – write down what you want from this blog in the next 6 months and 1 year and keep that in mind every time you blog about anything. It should all tie together. And that’s so true, isn’t it? It should all tie together, the story, the image, the brand of who @sunahre_khwab is. I try to do that, and will continue trying to do it, with the hope and determination that it’s working. 

It’s been a very fulfilling journey so far. I think I am fortunate that I never had a day without a purpose. Also probably because I find purpose! Doing something is so important, the brain cells need to be engaged. So until 24 it was a lot of study and getting a job that I wanted. Two big milestones were the birth of my 2 daughters. I am proud to say I have never taken any help, never kept a nanny, took day care service from well established centers so I could go to work and raise my kids the way I always wanted to – strong and independent young women. 

Some great milestones / experiences have been the travels I have done to different countries because of my work engagements. Working in different cultures teaches you a lot of cross-cultural nuances. It also teaches you to survive in circumstances you are not naturally comfortable with and broadens your horizons. I have my Mom, Dad and my sister to thank for being able to do this as they took care of the girls when I was travelling. They have certainly been a strong constant pillar in my existence so far on this planet – we argue and makeup, we differ and agree but we always stand by each other. Mi familia!

As I mentioned before, being a Googler has been a great milestone in my life and continues to be. Coming to my blogging experience, the journey has been extremely insightful and fun so far. I have come to know so many people from different parts of the world, backgrounds, cultures, stratas, businesses big and small – I feel I have just touched the tip of the iceberg. I do a lot of things on my blog which is primarily my Instagram handle – from decor to poetry, from art to day to day lifestyle stories, and I am glad I have been able to touch 4500+ lives in such a short span of 4 months. Where am I headed you ask? May be towards becoming a motivator and influencer sharing my learnings and in whichever small way I can, help people achieve work life balance while pursuing their hobbies and passions.

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You can’t please all and happiness starts from self.

These are my biggest two learnings throughout everything that I have done, seen or experienced. If I am happy, that will rub off to my family, my children, and everyone who knows me or comes in contact with me. Seeking happiness outside can disappoint, so seek it with what you want or like. I think the entire positive thought process that I have is based on the fact that I find my own happiness. 

Every post or story that I share is generally inspired by a personal experience and what influenced me or made me happy at that point. It could be while watering the plants or ruffling the cushions, reading something, or a painting that my kid showed to me. I am very fluid like that, and it shows in my feed. Also remember that what we’re compelled to do these days is merely physical distancing, not social distancing! But let’s be honest to ourselves, it hasn’t been easy. There are days I am uninspired, and I don’t want to do anything. But I tell myself what I tell my kids: we are humans; we owe our present to ‘Survival of the Fittest’. And a fit body needs a fit mind. So try to be as positive as possible given the circumstances. Buckle up and figure out what’s next. Also, watch and read stuff that is inspirational, and always focus on the good as it does tend to stay at the back of your mind.”

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To drop in a message to Sneh, check out her wonderful hobby blog on Instagram, and to give her works a follow, check out the links below:

Professional and personal social media handles:

Instagram – @sunahre_khwabPintrestLinkedinMaa Ki Kavita – IGTV series

Features & mentions:

My apartment balconyHomebeautylife7Indian home studioMy Green TreasureHomesofinspirationRaw HomestyleRaw Homestyle