- PonderingTwo February 2013 ~ Pondering Two The title of your home page

Sunday 24 February 2013






















 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda

Thursday 21 February 2013

 
 
 
Written by: Madhuri Banerjee
Published by: Penguin
ISBN: 978-0-143-41837-5
Genre: Romance, Fiction
No. of pages: 238
Price: 199 INR
 
Synopsis: Cheated by her young and handsome Spanish boyfriend, Kaveri is back in India to follow a career as an artist and to find her dream man. However getting involved with an older man, making out with the hottest star in Bollywood, teaching a hot, upcoming actress Hindi; her goals seem to be nowhere in sight.
 
So with fresh hopes and a new philosophy, Kaveri begins to focus on her goals. Things begin to look up when there is a kindling of romance across Twitter and she starts to understand her true calling finally moving in the right direction.
 
Plot:
"Our bodies move together in the synchronized harmony of rocking".
  
"I knew this relationship would last forever. How could it not? The sex was simply brilliant".
 
These are the lines from the prologue which sets the tone and pace for the book. The detailed description of the act will make your heart race thinking what's in store ahead. But let me tell you that this is not an erotica sort of a book but it is the one which will definitely make you feel such reading some parts of the book. It is a story of the 21st century girl named Kaveri who is intelligent, smart, good looking, travelled the globe, knows seven different languages and has a passion for art. But inspite of this she gets to her knees in front of men. She enters many relationships hoping for the best, to be the same forever and ever but something goes wrong everytime leading to a fresh look at her life. And finally she lands in the lap of Arranged Marriage, the idea which she disliked but eventually finds her man of her dreams through Arranged Marriage.
 
The protagonist, as I said, is a 21st century girl living in the age of Facebook, Twitter and Skype where sex happens first and commitment comes later. She tries to understand life and love through her friend Aditi, her colleague Shyamolie and an art gallery owner Mamata as both her life and love goes through tumultuous times.
 
Writing: The characterisation is simply superb. All the characters can be identified in real life. The writing is smooth with easy to understand language and bold in parts. But that is what romance should be and must say it is very well descripted. One cannot find a single grammatical and poor proof reading mistake too.
 
Overall: Untill the end you will never realize that this book is a part of a triology and this shows the writing skill the author possesses. It keeps you hooked till the last, tingling with your desires, emotions and a sure shot page turner not to be missed.  This book is a must read for all the die hard romantic at heart!!
 
Rating: 4/5*


Saturday 16 February 2013

Feelings that were once hidden
Started to erupt
Days that were lonely
Started to look lovely
 
It all happened on that evening
Watching the sunset, sitting on the bonnet
Sipping through a cup of coffee
Enjoying the beauty of nature
 
Scenic topography, she exclaimed
Eye soothing effect, I said
As our arms flicked eachothers
And the meeting of the eyes took place
 
Closer and closer to eachother
Toes playing footsie
Coffee took a backseat
As heart started pounding
 
Two strands of hair falling on her cheek
Flicking it behind her ears
I grabbed her by her waist
To get a closer look of my beauty
 
Liquid pleasure driving madness
Leading to a deep passionate kiss
Tasting coffee
Making it the moment of our life
 
Unsatisfied, we kissed more
Fingers started sliding across the skin
Touching every crevasse
Discovering the beautiful
 
Satisfied, we laid there on the bonnet
After loosening our emotions
Which were once held together
As we met for the first time after two years
 
 
 
Rohan Kachalia
Happy Valentines Day!!

 
This post was first published for Parentous an initiative by BlogAdda

“Cry cry itna cry karte hain kaiko,
Pal Pal rote hain kaiko”


This, I heard from my friend Sheetal, who is allergic to children, when her sister-in-law delivered a baby girl. To this, I advised her that it is not about crying but about letting the world know that ‘The Child has arrived’ and since they cannot speak, they cry. Thus, giving me the idea for today’s post – Cry and Attachment.

We all love crying and let our emotions flow. Be it for any reason. And so do the new-born. As I said, they cry because they cannot speak and grab our attention towards them. It is this simple logic which most of the parents fail to understand and in turn label the child as ‘Cry Baby’.



Crying is the main and only way a child can let the parents know when they need help. Although it becomes difficult for parents to understand why the baby is crying and even more difficult for new parents but that is the fun of parenting. You learn through experiences and become much wiser as the child grows. Some babies cry for few hours in an entire day whereas some babies keep on crying the most part of the day. There is nothing to worry as they are bound to cry initially.

Since we are talking about a new-born, it is very important that parents give most of their time to the new ones. Try understanding them, how they feel when you are near, when you caress them, talk to them and see the reaction. Also, try sensing how they feel when you are not near to them. This will give you a small idea about the baby’s feelings and how they respond to things thus giving you a fair idea why they cry.

Here are some reasons why babies cry:
  1. Hungry
  2. Sleepy
  3. Unwell
  4. Needs nappy change
  5. Wants you in sight
  6. Tired
  7. Seeing a stranger
  8. Sudden burst of noise
But what is most important is to understand which cry is for what. A loud continuous crying may indicate the baby is hungry or sleepy whereas a start and stop cry may probably indicate the baby needs you in sight or wants a cuddle.

There are even times when the baby just won’t relent. You try each and every stuff to calm the baby down but the baby keeps on crying. In such situation it is better to let the baby cry and allow coping with the situation on her own.

Even attachment plays a bigger role in the early days of the baby. When the baby feels attached to someone, the baby shows more trust and is comfortable with and hence it is always preferable that both the parents develop such healthy bonding with the baby as early as possible. This in turn results in baby crying less.

To continue reading further, kindly click here.

Saturday 9 February 2013

I was cycling my way back from college to home. It was prelim time and today was the last paper. Eager to reach home early and catch some sleep I decided to leave the campus premises without wasting a single minute. So there I was ready to cycle my way back home with much excitement on face and a big smile as the paper was pretty good.
 
It usually takes thirty minutes in the afternoon to cycle but being Sunday the road was deserted. I heaved a sigh of relief on seeing the deserted road and decided to speed up a little. The road was built in a shape of a hill but not very steep. I paddled upwards with ease and relaxed as the rubber hit the slope.
 
I could hear someone from behind honking continuously. I wondered why would someone honk when am riding on the side end of the road leaving enough space for even a bus to pass and moreover there is no traffic on the road too!! I sensed the vehicle approaching towards me as the sound of the horn increased every second.
 
The next moment I lay alongside the road with my left side bruised while the right side hang from the cycle as the cycle was caught between the left and right.
 
'Sorry, Sorry, Sorry', 'I'm so sorry'. I heard someone say sorry but ignoring it I tried to look at the bruises and stand up on my feet. A soft hand touched my right arm helping me to get up while the lips humming the sorry rhyme. I turned my face to look who the person was and...
 
"Ek ladki ko dekho toh aisa laga
 Jaise khilta gulab
 Jaise shayar ka khwab
 Jaise ujali kiran
 Jaise bun mein hiran
 Jaise chandni raat"
 
... and it seemed magic! Green eyes, neatly done eye brows, long open hair falling on her left side, with cute dimples, half dupatta flying in the air and half tucked under her arms as I lay still.  
 
I smiled rather blushed as she continued with her sorry rhyme.
 
'You wear lenses?', I asked.
 
'What?', she replied
 
Ignoring her reply, I continued in excitement. 'Wow! You look so beautiful!'
 
'Ouch!', I shouted as she pinched hardly allowing me to gather my senses and stand up on my feet. 'Thank God! I didn't make my feelings evident', I said to myself. 'I'm so sorry. I am learning to ride my scooty and instead of applying brakes, I accelerated', she explained to me. 'But I was continuously honking, you see', she continued adding that it wasn't her fault.
 
Girls are allowed to be excused and if the girl is prettier than there are all the reason to excuse her mistake. And thus I said, 'It's ok. It happens.' 'Bade bade desho mein aise choti choti cheez hoti rehti hain', I added with a smile. She also returned with a big smile highlighting her dimples.
 
'I am Sujal', I replied as she asked for my name.
 
'Myself Heena', she replied to my non existing question.
 
Plenty of exchanges followed after that as we parted ways for our respective homes.
 
*****
 
(After few months)
 
My final year exams kept me really busy and it was time for me to to chill and relax. I could not forget that Sunday afternoon. I wanted to know her more but the thought of exams and scoring high percentage took the front seat. So now it was time for 'Mission I Love you or not'.
 
The next morning I woke up to a call which read Heena. A sudden rush of emotions held me for a moment as I pressed the green button.
 
Me: Hello
 
She: Hiee!! How are you doing? How were your exams? What are you planning to do now? Had your lunch? Why are you not speaking, Sujal? Sujal, are you there?
 
I was bombarded with questions just as Sonali Bendre bombards Aamir Khan with questions in the movie Sarfarosh. And I like Sonali Bendre, I said to myself. Infact I like all the persons who speaks a lot as I speak less thus compensating and balancing it. A feel of happiness erupted in me as she speaks more compared to me.
 
Me:Yeah, yeah I am there.
 
She: So what are you doing?
 
Me: Just woke up from deep slumber.
 
She: Hmmm.... Hope you had a sound sleep Sujal.
 
There was something in the way she pronounced my name, Suuuujaallll. Something unique which no one had till date called me and I liked the amount of smile and flirting she brought in my name.
 
Me: Yes, had a good sound sleep after months.
 
The conversation continued for almost half an hour which travelled through hobbies, career aspiration and marriage along with idhar udhar ki baatein. The only thing that left me bemused was how did she knew about my exams. That means she had her eyes on me from the day we met!! Oh My God! Unbelievale!! Heena had her eyes on me!! (My eyes brightened as I concluded this.) So that means she also likes me, like I do! 'Aag udhar bhi lagi hain!!'. (I concluded and left for a bath.)
 

'Wanna be my Chammak Challo' is the song which I am singing since morning, was the SMS I had just received. To which I flirtatiously reply 'Wanna be your Chammak Challo, O O O.'  This was followed by a smiley and a text 'Lets meet at 5 in the evening at CCD near to your college'. To which I replied with a big YES!
 
My mind was preoccupied with her thoughts asking questions and answering all by itself. So now what to do? Shall I wait or tell those three golden words? How will she react? No, she won't react in an opposite way, I asserted myself. The question and answer session which was going on abruptly came to a stop because of this...
 
Dil hain ke maanta nahin
Mushkil badi hain rasme mohabbat
Yeh jaanta hi nahin
 
...the song played loudly by my mom on the mp3 player.
 
I left everything and with some wicked smile on my face I went to check out the clothes which can be worn for the evening.
 
*****
 
I was dressed in my favourite maroon coloured shirt and a dark blue jeans. I reached CCD before time so as to make an impression on her. I took the corner table and sat facing the road with a bouquet of red roses. 'It was almost 5 and she should come any time now', I said to myself. And within minutes of clock striking 5, she entered CCD and looked for me. I waved at her and she looked drop dead gorgeous.
 
Mouth left wide open, eyes staring at her; completely smitten by the way she looked. Somehow I managed to control my emotions once again and as a gentleman pulled the chair for her to sit. Words deserted me as she sat in front of me. Dressed impeccably in a pink kurta churidar set, hair again left open, falling on the front right side with a big smile showcasing her dimples, she looked nothing short of an actress.
 
Today even she was silent expecting me to start the conversation. I started complimenting about her looks, style, the way of talking especially pronouncing my name, what had happened on that Sunday as I started to pour my heart, my feelings for her. She was all ears to me with a pleasant smile when suddenly I heard this...
 
Tujhe dekha toh yeh jaana sanam
Pyar hota hain deewana sanam,
Ab yahan se kaha jaye hum,
Teri baaho mein mar jaaye hum...
 
On hearing this I thought that this should be a good opportunity to say those golden words and I automatically bow down in front of her, hold her right hand and with bouquet of roses I said those golden words, 'I Love You'. A sense of satisfaction ran through me as I conveyed my feelings although there was a fear about her reaction to this. 'I know probably I might have jumped the gun but better to say it early than regret later', I told myself upon quickly sitting back on my chair.
 
 What will it be? A simple smile? A slap? Or plain walk out? All these questions took over my mind and suddenly I was left speechless.
 
Humne tumko dekha
Tumne humko dekha aise
Saato janam
Milte rahe ho jaise
 
Heena was singing this song which sounded so soulful and immediately I took her in my arms and once again whispered in her ears 'I Love You'.
 
That evening we talked more and more about how we felt when we first met. Then a break and a sudden eruption of feelings towards eachother.
 
*****
 
It was an evening to remember. A day to cherish. Probably one of the best days of my life and Heena's too as I stood on a hill top nearby a river thinking how would it be if we were still together.
 


This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda

Thursday 7 February 2013


A beep on his mobile phone made him ran straight towards the top of his building. Taking two-three steps simultaneously, he reached the terrace in no time although gasping for breath. He positioned his binoculars and glanced at her charming face, wavy hair, smoky eyes and her breathtaking smile as he skipped a heartbeat.
 

Background: This fiction is written capturing the essence of First Love, A Silent Love when a feeling of love races in someone's heart, a small bubble of joy bursts on seeing that person and hoping silently to muster some courage and eventually ask that person out.
 
Author's Note: This is the fourth time a 55 fiction has been tried. Hope to get some views on the above as I am still learning the nuances of writing 55 Fiction.
Rohan Kachalia

Wednesday 6 February 2013

This post was first published as a Guest Post for Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma. She blogs at Words' Worth by Samarpita and you can check the post here.
 



A frame of silence, aroma of roses and candles awaited her
As he waited for the most beautiful lady to arrive for a romantic dinner

 
 It was nothing short of a fantasy
As she looked like an angel draped in a saree
Enhancing the beauty of the room drastically

 
Seated opposite to each other were they
Where eyes feeling shy to meet
And love waiting to blossom

 
Soon the feelings to be shared were set free
Brightening up the milieu
As dinner took the backseat

 
First were the gentle smiles and sighs
Followed with the touch of romance
Continued with the kiss of love

 
As thoughts of love started to flow
Increasing the desires and cravings for each other
Decreasing the distance between them

 
Eyes became friendly and started to talk
Soft touch replaced the smiles
As they danced to the tunes of love

 
They pressed their bodies against each other
Heart pumped in joy as tears of love flowed
Seeking peace in their loving arms

 
Capturing the soul of love, waiting to be tested in tough times
Promising to stand and support in all seasons
As they continue with their romantic dinner

 



Rohan Kachalia

Monday 4 February 2013

So Vishwaroop did happen yesterday afternoon when we had nothing to do. Yes! Nothing! (There are times in life when the dreaded three letter word takes a back seat and things like Vishwroop happens). So we landed at the multiplex, he cribbed before buying tickets at such exorbitant price (We usually go for movies on Tuesdays - Thanks to Vodafone), made some faces and reluctantly bought the tickets. Since it was time for the movie we decided to troll the mall adjoining the multiplex, glanced through the collections at various stores with an eye on the watch. Few minutes later, we entered the cinema hall with a packet of samosas, a coke and popcorn.
 
And the first scene itself made us laugh, laugh for the very same word, act that made us watch Vishwaroop aka SEX. I say it was an epic facepalm moment. The next frame was Kamal Hassan practicing rather teaching his Kathak dance moves with/to his students. It was one helluva of a song which seems to never end, showcasing the dance prowess of Kamal Hassan. But the way he plays the role of a soft teacher, with lots of control and precision is something that I liked.
 
Then there is his wife who for once seemed to be a poster girl for Playboy with figure hugging clothes and nighties revealing huge bosom. (So, it's obvious that his eyes were glued to the screen) and hence it is better I continue with the review, not allowing her to occupy too much of your mind space. Oh yeah, important information: She has a PHD in some stupid thing and is Employed!! (When will God answer my prayers?) Working at some nuclear research centre. His boss is completely flat over her looks, dreams of sleeping with her but she later comes to know that he is a crook, bad man, eventually leading her and Kamal Hassan getting kidnapped.
 
The story till here is bearable to say the least. But then suddenly it takes off in a jiffy and BOOM. What do you see?? A completely strong macho man taking on the kidnappers and within a minute all the 10-12 bad asses are killed. That made my eyes pop out and mouth left wide open. A good twist I must say. Salman Khan, you need to catch up, I say and that too ASAP.
 
The film then takes us to the terror camps in Afghanistan showcasing how the training is conducted, how they keep themselves motivated, how to concentrate on the mission and the aim of their lives. But you definitely need a translator when a Hindi film suddenly turns Arabic so that you can write this portion of the review in a much better way. (Fact: Even Kamal Hasan faced similar problem.) This is the most intriguing part of the film which kept me interested and hooked to the seat. (2 missed calls, 27 unread Whatsapp messages from 5 contacts). Probably a true picture of how a terrorist training camp is held.
 
Rahul Bose who plays the lead bad man has a notorious plan and wants to see it executed. But all I want to know is why the hell is he talking under the tone of Himesh Reshamiya?? Imagine a person talking in that tone for more than 10 mins and suddenly A. R. Rahman sounds Himesh Reshamiya. (Bright minds, please answer). A NATO strike takes place on the training camp but somehow Kamal Hassan, Rahul Bose and few of his mates escapes alive. No. There is nothing strange in it. If they die then who will tell the climax? Huh?

No surprises here. A nuclear bomb that was planned to explode with remote control was stopped at the last minute by Kamal Hassan, his wife and NYPD. Simple. No complications. And there was a glimpse of some kissing and hugging between Kamal Hassan and his wife as Rahul Bose planned an escape in an aircraft. So hero alive. Villain alive. Brace up yourself for Vishwaroop 2.

Statutory Warning:
 
  1. There were no cigarette smoking scenes and hence the statutory warning was omitted.
  2. Also, a horse was killed by Kamal Hassan. Again, no statutory warning. Animal Rights Activists are you watching and listening?
  3. There was nothing controversial so as to hurt sentiments of many people and ask for a ban on the movie. The only reason I see for seeking a ban can be from terrorists or they must be supporting some of these groups.
  4.  
  5. Also, if you find this review objectionable then please don't read it. Aila! You have already read it! Good. I like that. :)
My rating: 2.75/5 (Go without any opinions and enjoy Kamal Hassan.)

Friday 1 February 2013

 
 
 
Written by: Mukul Deva
Published by: Westland Ltd
ISBN: 978-93-82618-19-5
Genre: Fiction/Thriller
No. of pages: 286
Price: 200 INR
 
Synopsis: Colonel Krishna Athwale and his team of Special Forces officers known as The K-Team rally to protect the country from the enemy within. And no one is safe from their deadly intent. Hellbent on stopping them is Raghav Bhagat, rouge para commando, gun for hire and Krishna's bete noir. Caught in the crossfire are Vinod Bedi, Special Director, CBI, a news anchor named Reena Bhagat and two young boys Sachin and Azaan.
 
Plot:
"You can smell the gunpowder. Such is the power of words of Deva." - The Hindu
"Deva takes the Indian action thriller to the next level." - Sunir Khetripal, CEO, IN Entertainment (India) Ltd.
 
When you read such kind of praises from organisations and people for the book, the expectations increases by leaps and bounds and this book lives up to the expectations build around it. The plot starts with introducing some members of the K-Team, all ex servants of military forces, planning to carry out an assassination of a corrupt politician. They planned to carry out similar strikes divided in the group of two from Patna to Chennai and to Pune simultaneously. It is a straight and a direct attack against the political class leading to shock and panic. Not only this, the K-Team also gives hints of their next targets asking the government to take them seriously and meet their demands. The government as a result appoints equally strong and powerful forces to solve this K-Team problem and protect the target from being eliminated. Also, the author has weaved a beautiful love story revolving around the main characters. So what happens next? Will the K-Team succeed? Or will the government crack down the K-Team? - is explained in further pages.
 
. Writing: All the characters are named very smartly as well as very well etched. One can easily draw the parallel from real life. Hence the author very smartly stresses on the fact that this book is a complete work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, party or organisation is purely coincidental and fictitious. The events that take place are similar to the ones that have taken place in reality. Like the airplane hijack and the various scams that is still rocking the nation. The writing is simple and easy to understand. Also there is use of expletives and abusive language
 
Overall: This book is one of the most relevant books in today's times. The book depicts what the people of the nation is feeling with the blatant corruption, scams erupting day in and out; the mood of the nation and what solution is in sight as the author himself says:
"This book was born out of extreme anger and shame. Anger at the appalling, naked greed so shamelessly displayed by the Indian political class. And shame that they happen to be fellow Indians."
 
When I first read the book, I felt the storyline is somewhat similar to the movie Rang de Basanti and A Wednesday but overall I completely enjoyed the book for an edge of the seat thriller with striking similarities in real life. I recommend this book to each and everyone whether they follow the thriller genre or not. A thriller, entertainer not to be missed!
 
My Rating: 4.5/5



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