Reviews & Musings

"I am not sure that I exist, actually. I am all the writers that I have read, all the people that I have met, all the women that I have loved; all the cities I have visited. " - Jorge Luis Borges Source Every time I start reading a new book I embark on a new journey. Page after page as the magic of words begins too unveil I am transported to a different world. Slowly the characters of the story began to take shape before my eyes. I actually witness them coming alive. Their pain becomes my pain, their smiles begin to appear on my lips and somewhere along with them I fall in love too maybe with them, maybe with all that they love, maybe with the story or maybe simply with the author. 

I read this somewhat peculiar quote recently that goes like: "Sometimes you need to push the water down to keep the boat afloat". It was quite bizarre at first if I am being honest, but as moments lingered and time took its usual due course to thrust some sense into me, I was made to see what I so boldly chose to ignore previously- you often need to undertake the unconventional stuff, possibly impossible and maybe sometimes even illogical, to keep certain things running in their infallible order. Moreover, you are never out of options and I feel like knowing that just gives you some kind of satisfying hope to lodge on.

Introduction Source: Amazon.in ISBN :  978-0143429234 Genre:  Non-Fiction/ Children's /Young Adult Publishers: Penguin Random House India Price:  Rs. 599/-  ( I got the book for review from the  publisher )

I was introduced to reading by my mother at the age of four. She always used to tell me that I was a hyperactive kid and she felt books would be a safe option to keep me occupied all day. In doing that she not only passed on her love for books but also ensured I was addicted for life.

Introduction ISBN: 978-0670089420 Genre: Fiction/Drama Publishers: Penguin Random House Price: Rs. 499/-   Set in Lahore, This House of Clay and Water explores the lives of two women. Nida, intelligent and lonely, has married into an affluent political family and is desperately searching for some meaning in her existence; and impulsive, lovely Sasha, from the ordinary middle-class, whose longing for designer labels and upmarket places is so frantic that she willingly consorts with rich men who can provide them. Nida and Sasha meet at the famous Daata Sahib dargah and connect-their need to understand why their worlds feel so alien and empty, bringing them together. On her frequent visits to the dargah, Nida meets the gentle, flute-playing hijra Bhanggi, who sits under a bargadh tree and yearns for acceptance and affection, but is invariably shunned. A friendship-fragile, tentative and tender-develops between the two, both exiles within their own lives; but it flies...

Introduction ISIN: 978-81-8400-519-6 Genre: Memoir Publishers: Random house India Price: Rs. 399/- (I got this book from the publisher for review) As a young girl in Bangalore, Gayathri was surrounded by the fragrance of jasmine and flickering oil lamps, her family protected by Hindu gods and goddesses. But as she grew older, demons came forth from the dark corners of her idyllic kingdom--with the scariest creatures lurking within her. The daughter of a respected Brahmin family, Gayathri began to feel different. "I can hardly eat, sleep, or think straight. The only thing I can do is cry unending tears." Her parents insisted it was all in her head. Because traditional Indian culture had no concept of depression as an illness, no doctor could diagnose and no medicine could heal her mysterious malady. This memoir traces Gayathri's courageous battle with the depression that consumed her from adolescence through marriage and a move to the United States....

Today's Whispering Wednesday Word is People. However much we deny they hold a lot of important place in our lives. They teach us, make us, break us and still in a way define us.

Few days back I saw someone's journey in love- starting with the heady feeling, fluttering of heart, skipping beats, blushes, dreamy look in eyes, unruffled hair, a smile permanently pasted on face, sudden love for anything romantic, the eternal wait reflective on the face, the desire to just listen to the heart............. And finally today I heard the loud THUD when he finally fell in love...  Source: Google Images

A decade back I was a confused teenager not sure about the choices I was supposed to make in life and where it would all lead me to. Adding onto it the fact that I was the only black sheep of the family who wanted to go the unconventional way rather than try venturing onto the tried and tested methods. Before you kill me for beating around the bush some background – I belong to a very conservative South Indian family where every second person is either a doctor (Not the medicine wala doctor but a Ph D holder) or an engineer. And here I was a mediocre student who detested the alphabet S purely for it spelt science. They all are either are in government jobs or are professionals having their own practice. So now tell me what kind of advice will they give to a 17 year old who has opted for commerce (while she wanted to do BCA) and is wondering what kind of job to take? Source: Google Images

Couple of weeks back I blocked someone on my face book and Whatsapp – the first time I have ever done so to anyone ever. Though initially I was surprised by my own stance after a while I realized I did it to save myself from further hurt. To give you a background this person became a friend after reading something on my blog which he liked a lot. It began like the usual friendship and eventually somewhere in between began to creep discomfort. For I was being asked things like why cannot we chat right now, why do you have to blog, why are you not responding, why are you so busy in office that you cannot talk right now. In today’s times I fail to understand how people take each other for granted so much. A simple Whatsapp software on phones means that person is available 24*7 for you to talk. Nobody even bothers to ask whether that person is available to talk or not and gets offended the moment someone does not respond. I wonder if people realize that someone could be busy,...

Source: Google Images In life many times we forget who we are and who we want to be. And at such times life sends us reminders for it. Sometimes it is in the form of people, compliments, songs, blogposts, books and sometimes it is in the form of something more wonderful like ........ an interview! Oh yes you got me right I have been interviewed. This is the 2nd time I have been interviewed by the same person in the last 2 years of blogging. One of the most common thing I noticed is, most of my answers remained the same. I know some people find it strange but I find it an excellent thing. That means I am just the way I was last year and feel the same way about few things.  Thanks Rahul, for such a wonderful reminder about who I am and what my true calling is!! To read the whole interview please visit here .

Source: Google Images We are surrounded with music. The beating of our hearts, the flowing blood in our veins, our voices, the hushing trees, gushing rivers, cool breeze, blaring horns… they all come together to form a unique sound called music.  

“ I thought I am missing you, and then I realized I am not missing you. I am missing the person I became when I was with you; I am missing the feeling of being wanted that I got with you around… most importantly I am missing a part of me which I have left behind with you somewhere…. .” This was my status message on FB few days back. Someone commented – romantic yet painful .  I replied – It’s always a pleasure to miss your loved ones.   So I was asked how it is a pleasure when that person is no longer with you .  To which I replied – The person might not be but the memories with me are priceless. Source: Google Images

Source: Google Images I am beaming right now as I strike off the first thing on my wishlist 2013 : Sit on a merry-go-round.

Today I apologized once again. For no fault of mine. And yet it killed another part in me. I somehow cannot comprehend the relationship between me and forgiveness.  Source: Google Images