Bad Days vs Good Days

Inspired by a blog post by PeeVee I felt like writing this post after the coffee incident today while I was still crying...

Some Days...

You don't hear the alarm go off as you have a bad cold and fever. Your  roommate kicks you out of bed and you realize that it's already a good one hour late for work , you curse yourself for staying up late last night. There's no water flowing from the tap and you have to get out of the house in your night-dress to switch on the pump and stand there for another 10 minutes else your landlord will kill you if even a single drop of water overflows from the tank. As you try closing the bathroom door, your little finger gets pressed in the hinge and the pain blocks your senses about what to do, and you close the door further instead of opening it, adding more to the injury. Your hair gets oily even though you had showered the previous night. You don't have time for breakfast and decide to grab a bite on your way to work. As you get out of the shop with a hot cup of coffee, a bike hits you from behind and you splash the coffee all over your favourite new white t-shirt and also burn another three fingers. Your eyes are filled with tears and all the bike-wala could say is 'Sorry'. You get back home and decide to call up your mother to ask how to get coffee stain out of a white dress and before you could ask anything, she starts gossiping about the neighbours and your dog, your eyes all the time staring at the stain making its way permanently inside your top.

You reach office two hours late. Your boss asks you to show your work and your codes decide to go against you and you are asked to go back home and rest as you are sick. As you try to sleep, all the people in the world suddenly remembers you and you get a call every 30 minutes, all you have to do is listen to all earthly news. You are hungry and there's nothing in the house, not even drinking water. You decide to cook something and it burns.  Your roommate decides to take you to the doctor in the evening. You slip while trying to board the bike as you have worn the wrong slippers. Your codes still don't work.

End of the day, you have to listen- Tere saath itne haadse kyu hote hai!!

Some Days...

Your roommates appreciate the food you cook. Your boss takes you out for lunch. You win all the matches of Foos Ball you play. You make new friends and they love you. Your roommate makes soup for your sore throat. You go out and have fun with your roommates. You talk to an old friend after a long time. Your codes work perfectly and you get a token of appreciation from your boss making your face light up with a smile. Your roommate comes home with a clean shaved face after two months :P. You go for grocery shopping and realize that the prices have dropped. You get nice dreams in your sleep. :)

P.S. I am going to miss Bangalore a hell lot!!!

What is happiness?

Read a blog post on this a while back, so thought of sharing my own answers.

Happiness is knowing that time and distance can't make you apart.

Happiness is watching a baby grow

Happiness is cherising the treasures you have

Happiness is meeting old friends after a long time

 Happiness is knowing that someone misses you when you are away

Happiness is watching a city from the top of a mountain

Happiness is getting crazy with roommates

Happiness is meeting your favourite fictional characters

Happiness is watching a flower bloom

Moving On

“Don’t let today’s disappointment cast a shadow on tomorrow’s dream”

It is always hard to end a relationship, but the hardest part follows later, moving on. There’s no easy way, you will always try to get back there, hope everything becomes the way it was before. You feel a strange vacuum in your heart and desperately try to fill it. Don’t talk to the person no matter how much you want to, block him on facebook, Gmail and other social networking sites, and delete his number from your phone. No matter how much your heart wants, don’t look back and falter, let your brain rule for once. Keep away from anything that deals with the person.

In my case it was different. I tried being the strong one, stay in touch with the person and keep smiling. No matter how hard it may seem, no matter how much I cried inside, I didn’t let my sorrows show on my face. I never let anyone know what I was going through.

It pains, it pains a lot. I know because I have been there, done that. But with time the pain eases. It may take a day, a week, months or even years. For me it took a whole year and four months.  It took me a lot, I drowned myself in work, I blogged a lot, wrote the first draft of my first novel, book reviews, learnt web development, enrolled myself in extra courses, underwent internships.  Days were hard too, I silently cried while in class, not letting my tears show on my face, cried whenever my phone rang. Every morning I woke up I just wished the day would pass by and I would get back to sleep. I kept myself distant from people, I didn’t want to talk to anyone about it, I went to bed early and woke up late every morning with tears in my eyes. I read a lot, I read novels, I read other people’s blogs, I read articles on how much time it takes to move on and get along. A time even came when I didn’t want to write anymore.

And I can finally say proudly that I have moved on. I have emerged out stronger I am never looking back. Those days were just a bad dream, a lesson from life for me. And I am grateful for the friends I have, who make me laugh even in the worst of situations. I am thankful for the summer internship I have. The city of Bangalore has really brought me joy and I have the craziest roommates here who make me laugh all day, even when I am angry. Each moment in Bangalore is memory I will cherish for the lifetime.

 Some things are just not meant to be the way we want them. Over the years, through each storm I have been through, I have realised the fact that whatever God does is in our best interests.

Tantra By Adi

TITLE: TANTRA BY ADI
AUTHOR: ADI
PUBLISHER: APEEJAY STYA PUBLISHING
ISBN: 978-81-908636-2-9
GENRE: FICTION/THRILLER
PAGES: 335
SOURCE: BLOGADDA
RATING: 4/5

BACK COVER SAYS:
Anu is a leather wearing, no-nonsense professional guardian with a reputation for killing the most dangerous vampires in New York City. But when her enemies murder the one person she truly cared about, all she wants is vengeance. The only clue points to New Delhi, so Anu puts in for a job transfer.

In India, she finds more than she expected. For one thing, her fellow operatives had made a truce with the vampires. For another, it's way too hot to wear leather.

At first, it seems Anu's biggest challenge will be evading the nice boys her aunt wants her to marry. But when children start disappearing, she discovers forces older and darker than anything she's faced before. All of Delhi is in danger, especially the sexy stranger who sends Anu's pulse racing.

To prepare for this coming battle, Anu must overcome her personal demons and put aside years of training. This time, her most powerful weapon will come from her mind, not her weapons belt.

RAUMALI'S VIEWS:
As I picked up the book, I thought it would be another supernatural Vampire story, the same blood sucking demons fall in love with a beautiful girl, a place where everyone is supernatural except one or two and other crap. But a few pages later, I realised it was different. As I reached the end of the book, I was left mesmerised and hungry for more.

This is a thriller finally worthy of India's rich traditions and philosophy while still keeping connection with the modern reader. And most interestingly, the book showcased an Indian woman as a superhero who instead of falling in love with the vampires, goes out and destroys evil. Anu Aggarwal is shown as a strong woman who even left the men behind.

Anu is shown as a guardian (that is what they called vampire hunters) settled in New York. Circumstances lead her to New Delhi, where she stumbles up to stuffs she could never imagine of.

This book is totally different from the normal vampire hunter novels you have read before. Set in India, it integrates an Indian version of magic called tantra. It is an exciting read as we accompany Anu on her journey till the end as she braves many dangers lurking around her as well as the who arranged marriage business. The vedic knowledge and those of historical astras and mantras are really commendable.

The author has done his research really very well. Each and every page turned out to be a surprise. Truly speaking, I couldnot keep the book down even for one second. Each part of me kept me mesmerised and wondering what would happen next. Specially the rich Indian vedic history caught its hold on me.

Though sometimes in the middle it got a bit boring, I would still reccomend 'Tantra by Adi'  a must read.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Chanakya's New Manifesto

TITLE: CHANAKYA’S NEW MANIFESTO

AUTHOR: PAVAN K. VARMA

PUBLISHER: ALEPH

ISBN: 978-93-82277-09-5

GENRE: NON-FICTION

PAGES: 244

SOURCE: BLOGADDA

RATING: 4/5

BACKCOVER SAYS

Chanakya’s New Manifesto proposes a comprehensive blueprint for change. We cannot continue as we are, and must gather the resolve to bring in effective governance, a true democracy, a corruption-free state, a security-conscious nation and an inclusive society. If we fail, India may never succeed. Our future is at stake.

RAUMALI SAYS

Chanakya (c. 270-380 BCE) was classical India's greatest thinker and teacher. Through his unparalleled ability to devise result-oriented military, political, and administrative strategy, he overthrew one king, crowned another and paved the way for the establishment of India's first great empire. His seminal work, the Arthashashtra, arguably the world's first comprehensive treatise on statecraft and governance, was written approximately two thousand years before Machiavelli's The Prince. 

The book is a reflection on ideas of change that the writer says is meant for youngsters - aged between 15 and 35 - to draw them into the functioning of the country and join the refrain against rot. The narrative is in the voice of one of the greatest thinkers and teachers in Indian history - Chanakya - as his response to the various crises that beset modern India. The  writer has drawn up a practical and detailed plan, modelled on the Arthashashtra, to bring about reform and change in five key areas that require urgent attention

·         Governance- The focus areas are lack of economic reforms, education, agriculture, infrastructure project, railways and inflation.

·         Democracy- It spoke about the criminalisation of politics, the entrenchment of black money in our system and acceptance of dynastic politics.

·         Corruption- The author suggests combating corruption using financial accountability of political parties using technology, bringing in transparency in dealings and judicial reforms for detterent action.

·         Security- It articulated the importance of foreign policy, defense preparedness and an intelligence gathering mechanism.

·         The building of an inclusive society- This topic brought to light the dark side of the uncaring and indifferent India that cannot be called progressive unless it includes everybody.

Whether it is laying the foundation for an independent and effective Lokpal, or decriminalizing politics and successfully weeding out the corrupt, the solutions he proposes are substantive, well within the constitutional framework, and can make all the difference between intent and action. Chanakya’s New Manifesto prescribes setting up of a five-member Governance Appraisal Panel (GAP) which will independently evaluate the performance of the government and submit annual report to the President of India. According to the suggestion in the book, the GAP should comprise a leading economist or a corporate sector personality, a distinguished journalist, a respected former bureaucrat, an academic of eminence in the field of governance, and a retired chief justice of India or a retired Supreme Court judge. And they should be picked up by a selection panel comprising Prime Minister of India, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India.

Chanakya's New Manifesto is both a call to action as well as a deeply insightful account of the challenges facing the country today. It is a book that should be attentively read by everybody with a stake in India's future.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

RIP

TITLE: RIP

AUTHOR: Mukul Deva

PUBLISHER: Westland Ltd

ISBN: 978-93-82618-19-5

GENRE: Fiction/Thriller

PAGES: 286

SOURCE: Blogadda

RATING: 4/5

Backcover says:

R.I.P. The Resurgent Indian Patriots.

Self appointed guardians of a nation seething with anger at the endless scams and scandals rocking its very foundation. Vigilantes who vow to stop corrupt politicians and colluding civil servants.

Even if it means killing them.

Colonel Krishna Athawale and his team of Special Forces officers rally to protect the country from the enemy within. They call themselves the K-Team. And no one is safe from their deadly intent.

Hellbent on stopping them is Raghav Bhagat, rogue para commando, gun for hire and Krishna’s bête noir.

Caught in the crossfire is Vinod Bedi, Special Director, CBI. Reena Bhagat, a glamorous news anchor, embittered by her husband’s betrayal. And two young boys, Sachin and Azaan, torn apart by the loss of a parent.

It doesn’t get bigger.

India’s literary storm trooper, Mukul Deva delivers yet another pulse-pounding, crackerjack of a thriller. Tethered on the edge of reality, RIP will keep you turning pages late at night.

Raumali says:

As I picked up the book, I couldn’t keep it down until the last page. I was deliberate to know how and where it ended. In most books, the hero wins, the villain loses in the end. But in RIP, the hero is the villain.

Colonel Krishna Athawale lost his wife in scams and scandals that is spread all over our country. Determined to stop this corruption that rule our country, Krishna sets out with his specially trained followers, ex-army men under the name K-Team, to execute their plan-RIP, to protect the country from the enemy that hides among us.

The government, bent to stopping them, hires Vinod Bedi, Special Director CBI, and also for special security, Raghav Bhagat, rogue para commando. As the story progresses we find these two cross ways in their search for RIP.

Many innocents are caught in this fire. Among them are Reena Bhagat, Raghav’s ex-wife and Krishna’s new found Love, Payal-Krishna’s widowed sister who lost her husband in one such scam, Namrata- Bedi’s wife yearning for her husband’s love and time, and two kids- Sachin and Azaan torn apart by the loss of a parent.

This book is definitely a page turner. The Writing is Lucid and simple with a fluent flow. It’s much like a bollywood movie. The security and weapon details will leave anyone gasping.

I would recommend everyone to read this book. Thank you blogadda for giving me the chance.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Reviews Program. for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

The Bankster

TITLE: THE BANKSTER

AUTHOR: RAVI SUBRAMANIAN

PUBLISHER: RUPA PUBLICATIONS

ISBN: 978-81-291-2048-9

GENRE: FICTION

PAGES: 358

SOURCE: BLOGADDA

RATING: 3/5

Back cover says:

In Angola, a covert CIA agent is about to exchange weapons for blood diamonds.

In Kerala, an elderly man will do whatever it takes to fulfil a promise made to a dying son.

In Mumbai, an international bank is stunned by the mysterious death of its key employees.

Bankers build their careers on trust, or so everyone thinks, till a series of murders threaten to destroy the reputation that the Greater Boston Global Bank (GB2) has built over the years. Who is behind these killings, and what is their motive? Is the banker at GB2 fast turning into a bankster? Or was he always one?

When Karan Panjabi, press reporter and ex-banker, digs deeper, he realises that he has stumbled upon a global conspiracy with far reaching ramifications- a secret that could not only destroy the bank, but also cast a shadow on the entire nation.
With only thirty-six hours at his disposal, he must fight the clock and trust no one if he has to stay alive and uncover the truth.

Spinning an intricate web of lies, deceit and treachery, bestselling author Ravi Subramanian, a master storyteller of financial crime and winner of the 2008 golden Quill Reader’s Choice Award, returns with his most gripping thriller yet.

Raumali's views:

When I received the book first from blogadda, I was thrilled by the concept of a mystery thriller revolving around a bank. Flipping through the pages, I was really engrossed by many subplots in a single story. I was hungry for more, to reach the end. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

The book is a combination of three stories set in three different cities.

Joseph Braganza- An immovable force. A High flyer, yet six feet under. Smart, Suave, efficient, Resourceful, secretive yet hostile. He is a covert CIA agent who comes to Angola with a deal of blood diamonds.

Krishna Menon- A middle class elderly, who lost his only son to an radioactive accident. It was at this point that he decided to go to any means to keep his hometown safe from the upcoming nuclear power plant.

Greater Boston Global Bank Mumbai- An International Bank, fallen prey to serial murders and an intricate web of conspiracies. A place where everyone’s a victim but no one is innocent.

The main book is based with the story of GB2 with the first few stories just popping in between. How do they connect?

Krishna Menon- who lost his son in the Chernobyl nuclear accident, made a promise to his dying son, to do everything possible to keep the residents of his hometown safe from the upcoming nuclear power plant. He shakes hand with Jayakumar, in a protest against the government, to come clean and transparent about the plant. His protest in on the Gandhian principle. But can Jayakumar be trusted? Is he using Menon?

Vikram, Tanuja, Nikhil, Anand, Indrani, Harshita, Zinaida, Raymond- The employees of the bank who are supposed to build their careers on trust. But can they go to any extent to reach their targets, even while keeping the trust of their colleagues and customers alive without thinking about any of them or the repercussions on the bank. Is power meant to be misused? Who is deceiving whom? Can anyone be trusted? Why are the employees being murdered?

When Karan Panjabi, press reporter and ex-employee of GB2, searches the roots of these murders, he finds himself stumbled upon a global conspiracy which combines all these three stories.

The story lacks intricate detailing. The plot is strong but none of the characters are detailed. Also the main protagonist of the tale comes in only the last 100 pages and what seems like a hasty end. All his characters lack depth.

Nonetheless, the story is good, the mystery is thrilling and I would recommend giving it a try.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com . Participate now to get free books!