Electronic Diet; 24 hours without TV, Mobile and Computer.

My normal day:

          I had a bizarre idea of living one day without the use of mobile phone, television and computer. I knew it wouldn't be easy and guess what? It wasn't! My day started late by 11 am. As there was nothing significant to do, I ended up reading the entire day. I finished a book 'When Only Love Remains' by Durjoy Datta. I even liked it, for a change. (Its review will be up soon.) After the usual morning chores, I made a note of happy memories. I got this clever idea of making chits of happy days and storing it in a jar from The Pretty City Girl. It's more intriguing than diary writing. After this little fun activity, I went back to reading and stopped only for lunch at 1 pm. Post lunch was witnessed with more reading until 3.30 pm. I also took a nap of 45 minutes which freshened me. I took a break for exercise. I had tea and food after which I headed for an evening stroll. I literally had nothing to do which is why I just wandered around in the rainfall. I came home by 7.15 pm. I took some rest and finished the love story until 9 pm. Post-dinner I had no idea what I should do as that's mostly common television time. I couldn't start another book unless I wanted my head to spin. So, after considering the options, I forced my brother to play carrom with me. Time flew by while playing the game in which I won. Soon, it was 11 pm and I dozed off. The first thing I thought of when I woke up today was my mobile!

My day without electronics:

           I'm sure that must have sounded like it was quite simple but in this segment I'll tell you all those minor problems I faced. First of all, I decided to wake up late on purpose so that I'll avoid some part of the one day break up from my favourite gadgets. Secondly, while making those chits, I had to think when which incident happened. I usually write based on the chats which help me navigate through the month. I wrote about the recent memories. But the ones in the first week of June, I had to write today after referring the dates. Thirdly, as I was scheduling the future posts on blog, I forgot which date it was. I didn't have my mobile to check. Next was when I couldn't set up an alarm for my afternoon nap. Further, I couldn't listen to music while working out. Then, I had to wait till today to update my goodreads bookshelf after finishing the novel. The time when I was keen on putting up that snapchat story while walking, playing carom and also reading while having tea. (Photos of a book with a cup of tea or coffee are my favourite.) The moment when I returned from my walk, I had almost given up as I just craved to watch that new episode from 'Pretty Little Liars' but I held on. Somehow, I survived the day.

Lessons learnt:

1. I found that I'm more addicted to TV than I am to my mobile. As that's the best thing during holidays, most of my time goes in watching series and movies. After thinking about this I realised, I could spend lesser time on my mobile if I want to. And, I have used my mobile today for a much lesser time than I normally do. Also, I should cut down some television time.

2. Music isn't always necessary while exercising. I used the parallel time for thinking and it works out really well. One song was constantly playing in my head. But, apart from that, it was really good and peaceful working out without music.

3. We aren't handicapped without electronics. There are studies that say that humans cannot live without their gadgets. I think that it'll be difficult but it's not impossible. I couldn't keep a track of time because I had no mobile while my walk. (I didn't wear a watch because of rains.) But, as I passed by some shops, I just saw a clock in one and the question was resolved. It's that simple. Instead of an e-book, I read a physical book. Also, when I couldn't write the book review online, I just wrote it in my notebook. So, it's actually quite bearable without gadgets.

4. Books are saviours. I cannot imagine what I'd have done without books. There's not a day I don't read. If everyone develops a reading habit, then it'll be much better. Instead of entertainment via TV, they will start to prefer entertainment via books. Also, newspapers are the best compared to mobile applications or news channels.

5. Without the distraction of constant buzzing of phone, you can run some errands. Work must be done whether now or later. I got a number of things done yesterday which I had been procrastinating the whole week. And the feeling when you're done with it is one of satisfaction.

6. You understand who really cares about you. When a person who's constantly online disappears for an entire day, then people leave messages or call. You understand if you really matter to them.

7. Food diet is easier than electronic diet.

Have you done something like this? How was your experience?

Musical Retreat. (Monday Moments #3)

          As she was trekking, one song started playing from her shuffled playlist. That song took her years behind. A time when she wasn't successful, married and when she had friends. A time when she knew what it felt like to listen to songs, dance to them and enjoy. This particular song was her girl gang's song. It was their anthem. When they went to picnics or when they were seas away video chatting, this was the song they chimed to. But, at this moment as she found a miraculous familiarity to it, she was stunned at how times had changed. Back then, she used to enjoy the music. But right now, she was swimming in the lyrics. It was just like they say, "When you're happy, you enjoy the music. But when you're sad, you understand the lyrics." Every line from that song swayed her to another precious memory. She remembered that sleep over when the neighbours got irritated because of their karaoke. The other time when her friends convinced her parents for a trip abroad. Those shopping sprees, TV marathons, long nights of gossiping and post-break up sitting-in-couch-eating-ice-cream-all-day phase. As the song ended, there was a tear in her eye and a smile across her face. She didn't know if she should be happy or sad. Her nostalgic self listened to it for the entire time hoping her friends were with her. In that moment, she forgot how it felt to be alone. That one song changed the feelings she was going through. Because of music, she vanished into her own fantasy. As she reached on the top of the cliff, she shouted out loud. That moment wasn't one of victory like the other times. It was a moment of loneliness which wavered around her aura of sadness. In that moment, she discovered the secret of life.

(‘Monday Moments’ is a blog series wherein I write about an incident or a moment in a short paragraph. It’s not a story, but just a short description to express and explore the most common joys and also the uncommon miseries.)

Guest Post #1

          Today I'm posting the first guest post on my blog. This wonderful poem is written by my college classmate and friend, Avani Gala. Not only is she sweet but so are her words. She is an intelligent person with a pure soul, sweetness and lots of depth. I hope you love this poem as much as I loved it.

World is unhappy as I look at it,

And no wonder it does has its feel,

But nothing could count no matter how sweet,

When I come to my slate, yeah nothing could heal!

I began to sing, appreciating my turn,

And with all that hope I began to learn,

But life is no film, soon as I learnt,

Destination never comes your way, you have to hunt!

My words fumble, things are looking blur,

As I am lost in the world which is no more clear,

My heart shouts, screams to explain that sight,

Yeah, that sight to see myself in the world of flights!

Though my dream has shattered into parts,
somehow I managed myself from feeling apart,

As that's all I desired then and still,

So, someday I will surely fill my slate and all would heal!

You can follow Avani on Facebook here.

A Thousand Splendid Suns. (Book Review #6)

          After I finished reading Khaled Hosseini's 'A Thousand Splendid Suns', I was firm on not writing a review on it. The sole reason was because I thought I am just a nobody to review such a classic masterpiece of a life-changing novel. However, somewhere within the heavy pages and the deep after-thought, I decided to write one. So, here goes my review on a book that I loved throughout. My apologies for any mistakes. I hope all of you read this book.

Introduction:

          'A Thousand Splendid Suns' is the life story of two women living in Afghanistan wherein there is sustenance of war. The story is so gripping that it becomes impossible to put the book down. In the recent utopian, dystopian and coming-of-age novels, this work of art stands different holding its earned importance. I loved Khaled Hosseini's writing style. He brings out every emotion within the reader. He never leaves the reader in a state of confusion even after not putting up the facts namely. He is an incredible and a worthy writer.

Characters:

          Mariam, Laila, Rasheed and Tariq are the main characters. Mariam is a woman who was brought up with all the traditions and customs. Even without education, she comes off as a girl with thought and a woman with insight. Even after going through all the hardships humanly possible, she still fights through her life for the love of her dear ones. She is courageous, smart, caring and always hopeful.

Laila, at first, strikes as totally opposite to Mariam. She is educated and brought up with modern and lateral thinking. Unfortunate events change her life completely as she turns into a wife restricting herself from education and other privileges. She is a fighter and a believer of justice. She is compassionate, loyal, smart and brave.

Rasheed is made out perfectly for the readers to hate. He believes in all the old traditions, ill treats his wives and subjects them to a lot of restrictions. This antagonist displays an example in the society.

Tariq is a lovable character like a knight in shining armor. His love is evident as are his actions and words. He is the person who is like sunshine in this story.

Aziza and Zalmai are sweet kids. I loved Aziza more, which is obvious.

Story line:

          The story is divided in four parts. Part one witnesses Mariam's life from being a little girl to being in an unhappy marriage. Mariam lives with her mother and meets her father once a week. As the story progresses, her mother commits suicide. That leaves her with no option but to get married to a strange man and move to a strange place. Her husband Rasheed seems kind for only 10 pages. He becomes intolerable and abusive after the loss of their unborn children.

          Part two is the most fun the story could get. In this part, there's a wonderful heart warming love story between Laila and Tariq. The story is sweet and lovely until reality happens. Tariq leaves town. Subsequently, Laila's house is destroyed making her an orphan.

          Part three is where the two stories connect becoming the most commanding and powerful journey for Mariam, Laila and Rasheed. He marries Laila which brings out initial conflict between the two wives. But gradually, there forms a bond between Mariam and Laila by which they their lives become better. They start to live just for the sake of the other. This almost mother-daughter bond among all the other cruelties gives hope. The end was quite astonishingly satisfying. The murder of Rasheed by Mariam to save Laila was heroic. I really wished that all of them (Mariam, Laila, Tariq, Aziza and Zalmai) could live together after Rasheed's death. But only after Mariam's confession, her death sentence and the safe lives of the others, it occurred to me that it was the right decision. The author made me switch sides within a few pages. That's the power of writing, I believe.

         Part four is the concluding chapter. In this, Laila gets the required closure on Mariam. The author's brilliance shows clearly in this. Most people might find the last part irrelevant but actually it is vital. The readers get the closure on Mariam. They weep when they read Jalil's letter. They wonder what would have happened if... They are mesmerized, sad and also needy. That's why I absolutely loved to read this book from an author I hadn't read before. It had suspense and an edge.

Overall Thoughts:

          'A Thousand Splendid Suns' focuses on the values of family and love. It also portrays the life in a country with constant turbulence. Among war and traditions, there also exists an unforgettable love story. This novel clearly has it all. There is love and hate, life and death, poverty and prosperity. The story never gets boring for even a second. It taught me a lot about how to keep the readers engrossed. It's impossible to lose interest in it. It is a story that speaks beyond words and reaches across lives. Such books are the ones written once in a decade. It is a target-setting, thought-provoking and a must read novel.

Rains. (Monday Moments #2)

          As I walked home from office drenched in rain, I couldn't help but smile all the way. First rains are always special. Here I am, enjoying the most of monsoon's first rainfall. There's a marvellous thundering followed by the down pour of more water. I'm wet and so are my office bags and other material. But, at this moment, nothing holds least of importance as much as the rains. This joy is more than anything. There's the aroma of the earth kissed by the rain which is my favourite. This lingering smell fascinates me so much. There's never enough of it. People are walking with umbrellas cursing the rain already. And here I am, loving every second of it. As I walk, I see many people at a street side dhaba eating onion bhaji. Isn't that just the perfect food for this outstanding weather? Further, I see a couple walking hand in hand truly enjoying the rain. Isn't monsoon the most romantic season? Dogs and cats are running for shelter. Birds are hiding in their nests. There are kids playing football. I can still remember those days when I used to be one of them. Monsoons add such a change in our lives. From scorching heat to heavy showers. It's such a beautiful transition to go through. It's the best feeling to get wet in the first rains. It's the inexpressible joy where you can just wait and watch the beauty of it. It's that child in ourselves which cannot help but love this amazing season. It's that riveting feeling when we stay at home, drink tea, sit by the window and smile at the scenery blessed by rains. It's indeed the most rejuvenating season of all giving so much hope and fulfillment. I am surrounded only by heavy rains, breezes and a precious moment of self joy. Right this moment, life is perfect.

(‘Monday Moments’ is a blog series wherein I write about an incident or a moment in a short paragraph. It’s not a story, but just a short description to express and explore the most common joys and also the uncommon miseries.)

Turn The Noise Down!

          Throughout the world, India is known for its rich culture and heritage. Everyone adores the many festivals we celebrate. Sometimes, it feels like there are more festivals than days in a year. There are other plenty of ceremonies like baby showers, thread ceremonies, weddings, poojas and so on. Many of these are rare in other countries. There are also the occasional birth and death anniversaries of great people and such other events. They occur more than anyone can imagine.
          But, every coin has two sides. As much as it is fun enjoying these hundreds of festivals, there is also a downfall. For me, it's loudspeakers. There is some minor occasion and boom! Everything from stages, statues to chairs is set up and the noise is never forgotten. Somehow I feel that people have forgotten how to enjoy an event without dancing to it. I'm not a music hater. I love it. But, I'm talking about the noise. 

          Firstly, people have absolutely ceased to care about an important problem called noise pollution. So many people. So many religious views. And so many festivals of each. So much noise. 

Secondly, those people who are truly frustrated by this mental torture, cannot go to the authorities to complain. That's because of this whole overrated specimen called 'society'. "What will the neighbours think if I go and disrupt a religious setting?" "Will they turn me into police?" And, wait for this. "Will they put some horrible curse on me and my family?" Such silent superheroes just adjust to everything. Oh, the poor common man!

Thirdly, these events start with all the religious songs of deities and at the end all we can hear are item number songs. I fully appreciate the former ones because those are the ones that must be played. But, I'm beyond the realm of thinking about the latter ones. The stupidity of this whole setting is so unnerving that it has unfortunately taken deep roots in our society. Unintentionally and unknowingly people hum to all the songs. It's like the brain has stopped thinking about common sense. After praying, people sing songs like 'Munni badnam hui'. I mean, what is wrong with you?

          Suppose, lets take Ganesh Chaturthi as an example. This is one of my favourite festivals. There are street-to-street celebrations wherein the idol is brought followed by subsequent poojas. At such places, the festival is celebrated for entire 10 days. In the morning, loudspeakers emit all poojas, atharva sheersha and related folk songs. But, soon there are irrelevant songs played. 10 days of loudspeakers continuously blaring out noise. Such things take away all the devotion and happiness turning it into a headache. As much as it feels nice to hear the religious songs, it's a headache to have to listen to irrelevant noise.

          The question of the hour is, 'Is it really necessary?' 'Is it required to play music for so many hours at such a high volume?' 'Why can't people just offer their prayers in the traditional way?' 'Why can't people step up for a change?'

Here I am, just like you, hoping for a peaceful way to celebrate festivals, only with zero noise and little bit of music.

Animal Farm. (Book Review #5)

Introduction:

          'Animal Farm' by George Orwell is a story about a farm owned and managed by animals. It's a mere 95 pages book which may come off as a simplistic story unless you read beyond it. As I was half way through it, I felt like it is a children's book. But only after I began thinking about it practically, everything made sense. You can read this book in one go and enjoy the ride.

Characters:

          The main characters are all animals, obviously. There are pigs, horses, dogs, hens, ducks, birds and other farm animals. There's nothing much to describe about them as they are a clan and their roles can be conveyed through the story line. Napoleon, the pig is the head of the farm, you can say. If I had to choose, my favourite character would be Boxer, the horse. Although he had no intelligence whatsoever, he was a hard worker and could have ended up in a better way if there wouldn't have been so much greed for money.

Story line:

          The basic story is the freedom of animals from their master Mr. Jones. The animals gain independence from their human master removing themselves from slavery. Post rebellion period was witnessed by the hard work of all the animals, singing of 'Beasts of England' and learning the 'Seven Commandments'. I loved the courage shown by them during 'Battle of the Cowshed' and 'Battle of the Windmill'. Also, the whole windmill incident brings out the qualities of hard work, patience and understanding among the animals. As time passed, the farm was almost divided between pigs and other animals. For the latter, there were long hours of work and for the former there were all the benefits. The convenient change of commandments was something I found really clever. You can see how intelligible this part was by viewing the image below. At the end, all these commandments on which Animal Farm was created are revised by the pigs. So much so that the pigs start walking on two legs, start wearing clothes, sleep in beds, drink alcohol and befriend neighbouring human farm owners.

          Now, I'd like to mention the things which I found incomplete or weird. There should have been more details about Snowball. I know, his updates were placed now and again. But, those were just rumors. The reality of this pig who parted ways with Animal Farm should have been widely expressed. Further, the implication of the cat is quite bizarre. Either there should have been more details about the cat or no mention at all.

            Between The Lines:

         After some extra reading about this novel, now I know that 'Animal Farm' is a political satire which symbolises the Russian Revolution of 1917. But, I'm not going to express in detail over which character symbolises whom. I'd rather infer my thoughts and revelations. To begin, this whole setting is similar to a country which was under someone's rule, it's independence and the subsequent ups and downs. I got that right fortunately. It takes the happening of a huge depressing event to make things revolutionary. In the book, it's the death of the Old Major. After independence, the country's people are transitioned from slaves to democrats in a moment. It's impossible for anyone to handle that. Such a thing brings on ill deeds. The top ones take undue advantage of their power while leaving the ones underneath working and starving. Such type of a system doesn't last until there is an out pour of rage among the lower ones after years of suffering.

          Another thing I thought of was rather abstract. The first few pages struck this onto me. Humans treat animals like slaves. We only care about the work they do for us. It's brutal in some ways that we never check on their struggle. So, I'd like to say here that we should start seeing animals as more than free labourers. Without them, agriculture would be restricted in some ways. The entry of machines has reduced the use of animals by a large extent. But, they are still the basics from where humans started. So, it's only human to care about them. Rather abstract, I know.

          Overall, Animal Farm was a good read. It was definitely something different than regular fiction novels. It's an important and deep piece of literature which should be taught. I believe that such satires help individuals develop a sense of thought and understanding. What's your take on 'Animal Farm'?

The Moment Until. (Monday Moments #1)

          Hello, readers! From this Monday onward, I'll be starting a series titled 'Monday Moments'. In this I'll be writing a paragraph of a moment. It'll be the description of an incident or a feeling. For example, a hug or a kid's first step or dying or achieving a dream. I'll write to express and explore the most common joys and also the uncommon miseries. I hope you love this series. Thank you!

         Today's topic is 'The Moment Until'. There are 24 hours in a day. Every second we are experiencing something. Every second we are going through something in our minds. Such collective seconds indulging the same thought are moments. These moments are sometimes very overlooked by us. We forget to appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of these moments. But, there are those moments until we finally experience the ultimate moment. We all love ice cream. But, there is a lot of time between buying ice cream and eating it. There's that anxiety and happiness of finally getting home and eating our favourite cuisine. That wait is just too tempting than the real ice cream, isn't it? Another example is when we are about to go on the podium and collect our graduation certificate. The moment until we are given it is equally precious. Those 3 years of hard work, exams and the long walk towards the stage. Isn't it all very exciting? Very adventurous? There's that lingering moment of longing before the lips are close to sealing a kiss. Isn't that moment until the kiss electric? There's the tension before writing an exam wherein we are almost sure that we remember nothing. That moment until the exam is so stressed and over-rated. But, it doesn't matter later because we actually remember and make up our own answers scoring good. Most of the times, we just forget these tiny moments until the big thing. The big thing is always remembered, felt and reminisced. But those valuable moments until the big thing also need appreciation because without them nothing would be possible. Such infinite moments until the big thing are what constitute our lives. Such moments never die. They only keep getting better, more interesting and stay with us forever. So, today, enjoy all those moments until your big thing. Just stop for a second and appreciate your life with all such moments!

Gone Girl. (Book Review #4)

          A couple of years ago, I read in the newspaper that 'Gone Girl' by Gillian Flynn is among the top 5 of the year. I had been meaning to read it ever since. Finally, I have read it and I'm not so pleased. Maybe I had high hopes from it because it is many people's favourite novel. To begin with, I liked the mysterious title which is simple and effective.

Characters:

          The story revolves around a married couple who are in an unsuccessful marriage. The wife, Amy Elliot Dunne, is brilliant, vicious and crazy. The husband, Nick Dunne, is smart, laid-back and deals-with-everything-at-a-time kind of a person. Their characters are brought out really well. Especially the character of Amy is almost perfect. She does the things she wants. She is manipulative and also a clever planner. The character of Nick is portrayed wisely. Being the relaxed person he is, the strike of clues and Amy's little jokes, hits him subsequently. Nick's twin sister Margo is a typical supporting sister who hates Amy. The rest of the people like Desi Collings, Boney, Gilpin, their parents are properly structured and placed. For example, the feelings of Amy's parents are very natural. The detective is also very cautious and informal.

  

Story line:

          The first part; 'Boy Loses Girl' is symbolised in two ways. First is the husband's story of the present situation. Second is the wife's story about the past. I'm usually a fast reader but I found very little interest in the first 200 pages. That's right. Not 20, but 200! It constituted only the normal events of the day. The love story and marriage life could have been better. It wasn't necessary to put every sad incident to extend the story. The investigation and treasure hunt could have been more exciting. I agree that all detectives aren't Sherlock Holmes but the fact that it took them so many pages to arrest Nick was quite dull. I was hoping for the treasure hunt to be more than 4 clues. They were very apt, I agree. The story got more interesting with the entry of Andie. The end of the first part was okay but I had imagined Amy's dead body in the woodshed. Alas! It wouldn't have been possible because that would've ended the story right there.

          The second part; 'Boy Meets Girl' was the best part of the story. It had the maximum of mystery than the other parts. In this, Amy finally begins to tell her story from the day of her disappearance. Here, they catch up on the same time frame after all. In this part, the real Amy is shown who is a lady of vengeance and excellence. She narrates her entire plan which is absolutely genious. The way she plans for a year shows how much she can be patient to commit a perfect crime to seek revenge. I found her story to be one of misery and challenge. Misery, because she was not living her life fully. Her life's goal was only to watch her husband suffer. Challenge, because she was not a simple person. For her, everything and everyone was a competition. Her aim was brought out to be so sure and crystal clear. And, that's why it made no sense when she melted over Nick's television speech. That wasn't supposed to happen. She was intelligent to know better and yet her weak heart somehow won over her strong mind. Concerning her little incident at her hideout, that wasn't expected. Sure, it was necessary to put something there. But a robbery? I thought it would be either that Greta and Jeff recognise her or that they are cops. Also, the further story is very un-appealing to me. But, for Desi to pop in the situation, this robbery was essential. Once Desi entered, I had a feeling that he's going to be Amy's target. Her plan was good. But not as much as the original one. On the other end, Nick was smart enough to handle things the way he handled them. Tanner's outline was carved up really well.
          The third part; 'Boy Gets Girl Back.' is the end of the story. This was the most weird part wherein there were twists and complications just for the sake of it. It was impossible that a man could live with such a 'psycho bitch' and become the father of their child. The fact that he couldn't get any clues from his geniuos and crazy wife was obvious.

Overall Thoughts:

          If you check out my Goodreads page, you will notice that I've given 2 stars for this novel. I think the story was variations of vagueness and randomness. At the beginning, it felt like the treasure hunt would be the tying bond leading to their happy marriage. In the middle, it felt like it was a master plan if Amy would've killed herself. In the post-middle, it felt like it was unnecessary to even mention Amy's intellect as she loses herself and gets fooled by Nick's fake gestures. In the end, it felt like if this all wouldn't have happened, their lives would've been exactly the same.
          I'm not a famous book reviewer or an all-the-time critique. I've only stated some facts about a novel that I didn't like much. You can read some of my positive book reviews here.I hope I didn't hurt any of the readers' or author's feelings. I'm sure many of you loved this book which made it a bestseller. I hope those of you didn't like it, found my describing satisfactory. What's your opinion on 'Gone Girl'?

Panchgani Journals.

          Today I'm posting a travel entry as a 'Throwback Thursday' post. I went on a short trip to Panchgani which is a hill station in Maharashtra during the first week of May.  Even though there was heat as much as Mumbai, it was fun to visit the place. On the day of sightseeing, I visited five spots, all of which were wonderful. The first spot was 'Sherbaug'. Reaching by 3.15 pm, I spent around an hour over there. I was welcomed by water sprinklers. It was supposed to be a fun thing but it only frustrated tourists as their cameras and other stuff got wet. So, basically a lame idea. The inside was a huge maze-like area. There were trails surrounded by trees. Apart from the fact that it dreaded maintenance, it was quite alright. A touch of nature for the city-crazed people. There were rows of beautiful flowers at the beginning. There was a horror house, a laughing house, a huge water park area and a fossil museum. Here are some snaps from Sherbaug.

          The next spot was 'Sydney Point'. This was an amazing spot from where the view of entire Panchgani could be seen. The landscape was absolutely breath-taking. Unfortunately, there was a huge tower destroying the view which forbid me to take a panorama image.

Left side view.

Right side view.

          'Ghatjai temple', praying destination was my next halt. It was deserted at the time. But, it is packed with devotees during festivals. Thankfully, I enjoyed the little peace and quiet before I headed to 'Parsi Point'. Here, the view was astounding. The place was full of tourists and vendors. There were shoe vendors, ice cream sellers, food outlets and so on. I enjoyed the wonderful breeze for a long time. It was such an amazing place. A place where I could stay to think, meditate, enjoy the scenery and absorb the view in my eyes as much as I could.

          I reached the last spot 'Table Land' by 5.30 pm. This was indeed extravagant. The land spread as far as I could see. I walked around a lot. Stopped sometime to just view the bountiful landscape and ponder over its beauty. The place witnessed people walking, some standing by the edge, some horse-riding, some clicking pictures etc. I didn't go all the way to the end as it was time for sun set. I headed back and luckily got a bench to sit. I clicked a lot of pictures during that solid half hour until 7 pm. I was ready with my camera to witness the perfect sunset but it wasn't quite so. The clouds in between the sun and the mountains made it impossible to click at the perfect timing. However, it was a great setting. In fact, I saw the sun setting on my left and the moon rising on my right. It was glorious to observe such a wonder.

Barren beauty.

Sunset.

A panorama of the place.

          At the end of the day, I was very tired but also elated. This thrilling place with abundant natural beauty made me wonder about the cemented jungle which I love so much. I adore skyscrapers, shopping malls and the electric buzz in the cities. However, the pure, pollution-free and traffic-free Panchgani made me love nature more.

DIY Bookmarks.

          As mentioned in my summer bucket list, I have done quite a lot of stuff. In this post, I'm going to share some of the Do-It-Yourself Bookmarks I made. As much as I love reading, I love making bookmarks. It's a different matter that I don't need them as I finish reading good books in a day or two. But, it's a fun activity. I enjoyed making these a lot more than I had imagined. All of these are just paper made. Nothing fancy yet nothing ordinary. I believe that when you make things yourself, they are always special.

These are the simple ones I made for the first time. I did not put much effort as it was just the beginning. I used blue, red and white papers paired with some glitter, markers and ribbons.

In these ones, the technique remains the same but the paper is much better. After all, what's better than hearts?

The next ones I made were just something I hadn't planned. I imagined that the effect of colourful hearts on black would give a nice look. Seven different colours looked really nice. You can make such kinds of bookmarks when you have to gift them to someone. The set looks better than a single.

Now, the last type is the ones which everyone loved. I saw them on Pinterest and that was when I got really interested. These are corner bookmarks. You can attach them on the corner end of your page. There is a lot of variety in these. You can make minions, pokemons, devils and actually anything and it will look amazing. The hearts are another type which is really simple to make. These kinds hold really well and I wonder why anyone doesn't sell such bookmarks!

So I made a total of 21 bookmarks. I spent great amount of quality time making these. Now, I find myself gazing at the bookmark rather than the book. And lastly, I forgot to make one that says, "Go away. I'm reading". How do you make bookmarks? Do share! :)

Coincidental Love. (Part II)

Read Coincidental Love. (Part I) here.

Five.

          I go to him and say, "Hey! Didn't you just get here? Why are you leaving?" He seems angry and bizarre, "I thought you didn't have a boyfriend. You needn't have to lie to me. All you pretty girls are the same, aren't you? I really thought you were my friend!" Oh, so he heard that, "Are you talking about Preet? Did you hear anything?" "I heard enough." His tone his high and he really is angry. I try in my most sweet and flirty voice, "Ohhh. Are you jealous? You really seem to be!" "Why would I be? I am not your boyfriend or lover or secret admirer! You go and have a good time with Preet!" Just as he turns to leave, I hold his hand to stop him, "Preet is my cousin who has a mental condition. He thinks I am his girlfriend. I just go along with it because it makes him happy." His hand is still in mine. He look relieved and says, "Oh. I umm..." "You were jealous mister." He has a little awkward smile. And I am holding some amusement within me. "Well maybe." He is doing his super shy thing now and I blurt out, "Akshat, would you like to go on a date with me?" I cannot believe how I got the courage to ask that question. It came as a shock to the both of us. But right after my question ended, he said, "I would like to go on a date with you." Now, we are at the party smiling at each other like some love struck teenagers.
          Tonight is our first date. The past 2 days went by slower than morning traffic. We chatted a lot, especially during the nights. Those chats were too flirty to put here. But, one can imagine. Anyway, I just couldn't wait for tonight. And, now that it is almost here, I am beyond scared. I'm going through so many feelings at once that I think I am going to explode. I have been on dates before but it was never like this! I hope these feelings just disappear and it works out. I will just be myself. I am wearing a full length purple dress which has white crochet work and a few diamond-like pieces here and there. I have my long straight hair down. I am in my white and silver pumps. My accessories consist of silver bracelet and my silver clutch.  I look really nice but whatever. Since I asked him, I decided on a nice dinner in a posh Italian restaurant. It is going to be perfect. We both meet outside the building. He is here in his car. I offered to drive but he flipped out and insisted on him driving. Men and their dignity! I get in the car. We look at each other and electricity flows between us as our eyes do their little talking and our smiles keep getting wider. He is wearing an impeccable light purple shirt paired with grey corduroy pant. He smells really good too. Such a co-incidence that we are both wearing purple! I will have a long list of coincidences if I start about it. We reach the restaurant. I have been here around 5 times and absolutely love it.

          As we enter, our eyes twinkle reflecting the glossy restaurant interiors. The hall is huge. There are chairs and tables all around the center. There is a little dancing area in the middle circle. The walls are a shade of cream. There are wooden chairs and tables matching the wooden floor. The dancing floor is white and holds a great deal of attraction.  There is a mini bar in one far end corner. At another end, the wall painted in modern art is decorated with frames and carved glass-wood art pieces. Beautiful chandeliers hanging above brighten up the place in a dim lit atmosphere and the soft music gives the place a very romantic feeling. As we approach our reserved place, Akshat pulls up my chair as a gesture of manner. And that makes me feel special. Now, our conversation actually begins. Akshat says, "You look gorgeous, Abhira. Every day you are as splendid but today there's an added charm of beauty." I can't help but smile, "Thank you. You are looking stunning." Suddenly the talkative girl is gone giving the place to a shy and quiet girl. The one which I am getting to know for the first time. He is smiling at me and wouldn't look away. I find myself doing the same to him. Oh my God! Will he stop doing that? I can actually feel myself blush! He says, "So, are we going to order or are we content just by seeing each other?" I blush even more. "Any of the two would work for me. Although, they won't let us stay here for the latter one." We are going through the menu as the waiter approaches. I can hardly concentrate on food at the moment. I will just eat my usual. I say, "I will have cacciatore and lasagna." Akshat says, "I will have the same. And some red wine." I nod a yes. Now the waiter is gone leaving us to our over-joyous selves. He says, "You know, I was surprised when you asked me out. But more I became sure that I wasn't living in some fantasy of mine." "What do you mean?" "I am the kind of guy who isn't looked at twice. And you were the first woman who approached me. Ever since I have known you, I am awed by your intelligence, sense of humour and humble nature. Despite being beautiful, you also have a heart and a brain which most people lack. And when I started to like you, I thought there was no chance you would be interested in a guy like me. So, when you asked me out, I was relieved from that fantasy." "You are one gem of a person. I just don't understand why you always under-estimate yourself and hide yourself behind a mask. And for all that's worth, I like you too. So, there was no question of me not asking you. I never thought you saw me. But, it feels good to know that you did." We are both going for the ultimate honesty then which is surprisingly great. He talks quite a lot now as compared to earlier, which means he must really like me. He says, "So, as a matter of fact, this is my first date. Have I said too much already? I have no idea about the rules. I just believe in honesty, trust and love." And love. My inner self is doing somersaults and I will have an attack if he becomes more romantic. Where was he all these years?  "That's a good policy. I think I will stick with yours." We smile at each other for what feels like a lifetime.

          Wine arrives and we make a toast to 'New Beginnings'. We keep talking. He looks intently when I am talking. He laughs his heart out when I say something funny. He looks at me when I laugh as if he is under a spell. We are enjoying a lot. This is the most relaxed, fun and romantic evening. We just go into a different world after tasting the delicious food. The dessert, Crostata was heavenly. Now is the time when he will be tested. The bill arrives. I take it because it was my idea. He begins, "I am going to pay. So, give it here." I reply, "I asked you out. Hence, I must pay." He comes back, "Look, I respect that you are an independent woman but you are attacking my dignity." I try, "How about we both pay partly?" "I'm not negotiating. Just let me pay, please." "It's either partly or nothing. I am pretty stubborn, you know?" "Oh come on! Fine! Just this time then. Agreed?" "Of course not. But let's settle that way this time." Paying partly, we are about to leave when Akshat says, "Wait. Would you like to dance with me?" I am shocked that he is ready to dance, in front of everyone. But more I am glad. He is doing this to make me happy! "I would love to." We join another couple on the center of the place. I whisper in his ears, "From that first forced dance until this one, I cannot believe how much everything has changed. And I am grateful." "Fate is playing with us and I feel like we are winning." I smile but inside I am a ballerina dancing with extra merriment. Now, we are heading back. He says, "I had a great evening Abhira. I was never this happy. I am glad that you are in my life." "It was a lovely evening because of you. I couldn't possibly be more happy." We walk upstairs in silence and reach my floor. He takes my hand and lands a delicate kiss there. I go ahead and kiss his cheek. We bid goodbye. As I am home, it's 11.15 and all I can think of is him. His expressions. His laughs. His talks. His kind gestures. His walk. His dance. His smile. Every detail of this evening is coming back to me and I feel like I am in love with Akshat!

Six.

          I know that things have gone rather fast. There are things that I don't know about him and him me. But, the feeling I have for him is so new to me. I cannot compare that against anything. And, we have our entire lives to get to know one another. Tonight is our second date. Akshat asked me out this time and I wonder how it will enfold. I am wearing a nice red kurta and leggings. Usually I wouldn't have worn this but he said he liked me better this way. And I like it this way as well. In fact, he said that I look more elegant in a kurta, which is the exact word I had used! There goes another item in the list of co-incidences. So, we are meeting at 6 pm. Since our little story has gone faster than I anticipated, I am feeling very weird. I don't want it to be over but I also don't want it to be a hoax. I trust him but you may never know what guys are hiding. But, I am not going to let the circumstances bother me. This was meant to happen. And I as I see Akshat wearing a red T-shirt, I am surer about our destiny. He asks, "Do you trust me?" "I trust you." "Now, today we are going walking. It's nothing like that hotel, but I'm sure you will like it. Since it is a surprise, I'm going to blindfold you, okay?" "Well, how will I see then if we are walking? What if the people think you are kidnapping me?" We both laugh at that but it was a sincere question. He replies, "Don't worry. It is quite near." "Alright then!" This is bringing back all the negative vibes. I cannot see anything and I have also lost the sense of direction after that one left and one right. He says, "We are almost there. We are now going upstairs in an elevator." The fact that he is providing a commentary makes me feel safer. We have reached now, I think.
          He is slowly removing the blindfold. I notice that we are standing on our building's terrace! What? He notices my confusion and says, "Turn around." As I do, I am overwhelmed by the view. There is the terrific view of the Bandra sea face. There are lady musicians playing music at one side. There is a chef preparing barbecue on another side. There is a comfortable bed and champagne at the end. There are flower vases decorating the place. Thankfully, there are a couple of non-noisy fans too. It's like a little picnic.  As I realize my hands cupped my mouth all this time, I finally manage to say, "This is incredible! I am impressed Mr. Akshat!" He might have felt all those insecure feelings too. That's why he chose our own building's terrace and indulged other people. And I am so beyond words. He says, "Now, let's sit here and enjoy the beautiful sunset." Since our building is 25 floors, the view from here is perfect. We drink champagne while watching the sun set. We are quieter than usual. He finally says, "Are you okay? You haven't said much since we got here." "I am just.. I feel really special. No one has ever done such a lovely thing for me. You are so great to make me feel this way." He takes my hand and says, "I am the happiest now. And you are special. To me you are." I could almost cry. "Now, would you like to eat?" I almost forgot about that part. We eat some herb potato salad, marinated grilled chicken and blueberry pie. He must have got the best chef in the whole world because this food is so appetizing that I could eat it every day. That pie was exquisite! After eating, it's almost 8.30 now. I ask him, "Would you like to dance?" He smiles and we enjoy our third dance together. We are alone now. It's only 9 pm. He says, "Now, the best part of the evening." He takes me to bed. We have our hands entwined. He lies down on his back and asks me to do the same. He says smilingly, "Don't look at me. Look above." He tilts my chin and my eyes envision the beauty of all the stars. I mutter, "Wow! This is so ethereal." "Shhh. Let it sink into you." We both are lost in gazing at the starry night. Right this moment, life is perfect. After a lot of time has passed by, I silently say, "You may have been alone all your life, but you are certainly a romantic at heart. I should thank God for saving you for me." As we are looking at each other, he says, "Maybe he was." Our shoulders are touching each other. Our hands are entwined and soon our lips follow suit. Our first kiss is one of love, passion and wanting. It feels like we were away for a lifetime and now we are one. It feels so meant to be. After our long kiss he says, "I am in love with you, Abhira. Ever since I met you, it's been a bliss. Being with you feels more natural and perfect with every passing day. It feels forever." I'm enthralled by his romance. He is in love with me and I'm so shocked by his directness that I'm stupefied. We are still looking at each other when I finally say, "Akshat, you are the one person with whom I feel like myself. I am under some magic spell when I'm with you. And I love you." With that, our date ends and we head back to our homes. There is the traditional stairwell silence but this time it's good. We keep smiling and our hands never leave the embrace.

Seven.

          After 2 months of being with Akshat, our love has only grown, if that's even possible. We see each other every day. We went on a shopping date yesterday and splurged a lot. I bought him really clever shirts for work. He bought me pretty kurtas and a handbag. My job is going great. The readers love my column; 'Common Man Columnist' and I enjoy every bit of it.  My parents are happy about Akshat. His parents are happy with me. Meera has become a good friend of mine. So in short, everything is perfect. Today, my most awaited article is going to be published. For the first time, I got an entire page in Fashion Classics. I have a day off today so I'm going to adore that article a lot. Then I will start reading 'PS:I Love You'. Akshat gifted me this and has practically forced me to read it. Well, it's 8 am and I have just got the papers. I directly go to the magazine. I scan all the pages twice. To my disbelief, I cannot find my article! What the hell is this! I call my boss, "Hi Fenil. I was wondering why my article was not published in today's magazine?" She replies, "Oh yes. We are extremely sorry. It was brilliant but it was an entire page. And we had to publish Malini's." Malini is the one who is the most famous fashion journalist. Every company wants her. Thus, they keep on publishing her articles every week so she won't leave. I reply, "That is really not fair, you know?" "I know. But you know how it works. Maybe we will publish yours next week!"
         A week goes by. Even today my article is nowhere to be seen. I am fuming with anger. I am with Akshat at his home at the moment. I convey him what had happened. "I am so angry right now. Why does there have to be corruption everywhere? I am sick of these corporate cold wars. I might as well just quit that job and set up my own publishing house. Who do these people think they are?" Akshat as calm as ever says, "Try to relax Abhira." "How can I relax after all this? How can you be so calm?" "Because being short tempered is not going to solve any problems." "Oh just forget it! I am leaving!" "That's what you always do, don't you? Leave?" "What?" "Whenever the situation doesn't go your way, you just pack up and leave. You ran away to Switzerland when you were fired. Over there, you ran away from me because it was impossible of anything happening between us. You keep saying 'whatever' always. You always do this! You always shut off the people in your life whenever you wish!" "Oh please! Don't make this about me running away! If that's what you think about me, then I don't have anything to say to you.  And what about you, huh? You say that I shut people out but you never even let them in! You don't know what intimacy is and if you keep behaving like that, then you will be all alone one day!" I storm out as he says, "You are doing it again." I reach home. I don't understand how he can say such horrendous things about me. Is that what he thinks I am? A quitter? Instead of staying with me and consoling me he decided to pull up a fight? What is his problem? Whatever. No! Not whatever! Ughh!
          It has been a month I haven't talked to Akshat. I thought about what he said, a lot. I even asked my parents. They said the same thing but in a much more caring and understanding manner. My friends also said the same! I don't understand why didn't any of them just tell me earlier. I wouldn't have quit on them. But, after so much of introspection, I have decided to change myself. I mean, whatever Akshat pointed out was not wrong. His way of conveying was but the facts stay as they are. Firstly, I spent a lot of time thinking. Then, I spent a lot of time thinking about what to talk with Akshat. I saw him in the society a couple of days back. And we decided to ignore the existence of the other. Maybe we both are going through the same process, I hope. The last month was drastic. At work, eventually I was told to continue with my usual column rather having some fancy one page article. So, all my efforts on the previous one were a waste. At home, mom and dad keep asking me about Akshat. And there is radio silence from Akshat. Just a month back, I can recall myself being the happiest butterfly on this planet. And now my condition is worse than a moth. I just want this phase to be over. I just want to talk to Akshat and clear the air. What must he be thinking? Will he talk to me? I hope he doesn't hate me. I hope this is not the end of us. These series of unanswerable questions that render me sleepless at nights. Tonight is one such night. My parents are off on a holiday. This home is my moaning place. I'm watching 'Serendipity', eating ice cream and crying over the perfectness of that love story and imperfectness of mine! My phone rings and I cannot even see the name through the tears so I just pick it up trying not to sound like I'm crying. "Hello." "Hi." "Who is this?" "I am Akshat. You deleted my number already?" What? Did he say Akshat? I try to collect myself and say, "Oh hii! No, I didn't see the name actually. How are you?" "I'm not so good. We should meet and talk." "Oh yes. We should." "Can I come over?" "Okay." So, this really happened. I have to clear up. Oh God! My eyes are so messed up. He will know. There goes the bell.
          Here he comes with evident sadness on his face. "I am sorry", we both say at the same time. I begin, "Please let me say first. I thought a lot about what you said. Maybe I'm a runner. That's what I always do. I never realized it until you pointed it out to me. But, I'm going to improve myself. And our fight incidence also had me wondering about us. We have been going really fast in this relationship. We love each other but do we really know each other? I feel like I don't know the real you. I know the things you have told me but we should share that bond where we know what the other is thinking." "I should not have gone off on you like that. I was just pointing out the realm of the whole thing. While doing that I forgot to check in about your feelings. And I agree with what you said. I don't let many people in my life. But when I do, it becomes quite hard for me to share every aspect of my life with them. And that's where I went wrong. I never let you in. You were my first girlfriend. Maybe I was rigid. We don't know each other's deepest souls. We should make an effort to really understand each other on a whole different level." "I know. We could start right now?" "Okay. Well, here's one thing. I am more reserved than you think. And even though it is difficult, I love being alone. It's like my sacred haven." "Okay. That's not bad. Spending time with your own self really lets you understand yourself in a much better way. I have a problem where I run away from things." I give a little smile. He smiles too. We discussed so many relevant matters and shared some of our deepest secrets. It really helped a lot to get a whole new dimension of Akshat. Now, I can surely say that I know him better. Earlier, we only used to talk about the things that are related us. (Like our jobs, news, families etc.) But, today we talked about the things that relate us and the ones within us. (Like our feelings, opinions, thoughts etc.) He says, "I thought girls only watched romantic movies, ate ice cream and cried only in films!" I reply, "Oh shut up! I was crying because of the movie." "Oh yeah? okay.", he says in his funny tone. We watched the whole movie again. We kissed before he left. And now I feel so light and free. He might not be the guy who everyone loves to have around. But he is definitely my guy. And I cannot be more happy.

Eight.

          After 2 years since we first met, we are now going to his beach house. We reach there by 8 pm. We get inside and it's beautiful. It gives me the vintage feeling. Soon, after getting refreshed, we take a walk outside. As soon as I am out facing the ocean, I see every person there I have known in my life. There is my family, friends and cousins. There are at least 100 people here! What is happening? Akshat comes towards me. He looks so handsome in his white shirt and blue jeans. He is having a smile on his face which seems like it will never fade away. He is coming to me. Is he going to do what I think he is going to do? He gets down on one knee. With a serious expression of warmth, love and surety, he asks, "Abhira, would you like to dance with me forever? Will you marry me?" and pulls out a gorgeous ring! There are fireworks above the beach. I am so mesmerized by this whole setting that I feel like a princess. I guess I am and he is my prince. Before his lovely expression chances, I say out loud. "Yes! Akshat, I love you!" He replies, "I love you too, darling." We hug each other for what feels like forever. This is perfect and I am on top of the world!!

          Akshat is now giving a sort of a speech, "Our story is one which is made by destiny. As much as I couldn't believe in it before I met Abhira, I do now. We have been together for quite some time now. Until today our journey was one with many surprises and shocks. Now as I imagine my life ahead, I am not at all scared of married life. As I look further, I'm sure my amazing, humorous and happy Abhira will be there with me throughout my life. Abhira, you're the one person without whom my life is incomplete. I promise to love you and protect you. I promise that I will always love you." My eyes are wet now and I'm hardly able to say anything. I go near him and embrace him in a tight hug awaiting our future together.

[This is my first love story. Thank you all for reading it. A special thank you to my friend, Vaishnavi Upadhyaya, for helping me throughout the process. If it weren't for her technical skills, re-reading of this story many times and valuable suggestions, I'd still be stuck halfway. Also, the credits of the original images goes to their creators.]