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Showing posts with the label twice upon a time

Twice Upon A Time

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I love Pakistani tales, the Urdu glossary in between. I just tend to fall for the words, repeatedly. And if it’s an Indireads book, double bonus. What can possibly be better than lounge with one of these books on a lazy Sunday? ‘Twice Upon A Time’ has two novellas- ‘Sunshine’ by Jazz Singh and ‘Yours Truly’ by Zeenat Mahal. Zeenat Mahal deals really well with the subtleties of human emotions and sentiments. In just a few lines she creates the image of the deepest feelings of a character, bringing out the vulnerabilities in them. She lets the reader see the core of these characters and hook for them. She has a way with words which is rare to have. She creates simple and believable plots. The plots are my favorite- set in Pakistan. She portrays the culture and custom of the society well. I loved Zoey and Sheru- such a deep, moving story of love and belonging. We see how miscommunication can spoil any relationship, however strong it might be. It is like a fairy tale with d...
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Queeristan by Parmesh Sahani

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  Queeristan (Amazon Link) Thanks to Audible Free Trial I listened to this amazing non-fiction on LGBTQ inclusion in Indian workplaces. Author Parmesh Sahani identifies as gay Indian, working closely with Godrej higher management and employees for years to create an inclusive workplace, both legally and in spirit. This book is a result of those years of experience, research, collaboration with individuals from difference spectrum of the society and organizations who has successfully transitioned into a queer friendly one.   Indian history is inclusive. From the Khajuraho temple architectures, to Konark to the Rig Veda, there is existing proofs even 2000 years ago of Indian inclusiveness of queer. It’s the draconian British law that criminalised it, which was scraped in 2009, came into effect once again following a sad judgement in 2013 and eventually was scraped off for good in 2018. I am in awe of the lawyers who fought this legal battle- colleagues and partners – Arundh...
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December delights

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Every year December comes with a baggage full of delights. It bids adieu to the passing year, and welcomes the arriving year wholeheartedly. It brings with it the much awaited winter (and relieves us from the perpetual heat), Christmas celebrations and New Year revelries. Reasons for which we love December (I love..) are numerous. In a brief… Of the Wintry Connections The nip in the air, especially in the evenings; the warmth of sweaters, shawls and soft fluffy blankets; the various types of delicious soups, pakodas , and numerous cups of coffee with family and friends, describe winter for me. And that also includes spoonfuls of Chawanprash, and honey every morning by my nagging mother. There’s a continuous good, blessed and happy feel, and everyone’s mood swings are at bay. Winter most certainly casts magic spells. Of the Marriage Season Attending marriage ceremonies of relatives in December is fun. It’s like a family get together. With all the siblings, cousin...
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Horizon #WordlessWednesday

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View from the terrace of my hostel at Dehradun - Once upon a cloudy afternoon - ***** The picture that I had clicked on my phone camera was a bit dull in color and contrast. This filtered and beautified image was suggested by Google Assistant as I was uploading it to the Google Photos app. Loved this version. Much nearer to the actual scene. :D ***** Linking this post to #WordlessWednesday
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'The Guardian Angels' by Rohit Gore

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‘The Guardian Angels’ by Rohit Gore is, as the book jacket has it, is the epic and tumultuous story of two star crossed lovers who weren't  just soul mates but were also each other’s protectors. Published under The Grapevine Publications, the book is priced at Rs.125. And what appeals at the very first sight and tempts the reader to peek in is the beautiful book cover, designed by Saurav Das. This is a very emotional story of two characters, Aditya Mehta and Radha Deodhar, their lives both together and apart from each other, starting from their first meeting in school, in the seventh grade, to the early thirties. It is a journey through their days, their years, their dreams and aspirations, their successes and big losses. From their preteen days their fates are entwined together, making them almost inseparable, and the numerous tragedies have drawn them nearer to each other. Their bond is their only solace, and their love is the only thing that they draw inspi...
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Book Review: Sirens Spell Danger

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I received the free ebook as a part of the Write Tribe's Book Review Program . The name was not that catchy but seeing the coverpage I was curious. It’s a compilation of three short stories by three different authors- C.Suresh, Radha Sawana, and Karthik L. I guessed the first story was about ‘Sirens’, second about ‘spells’ and third about ‘dangers’. But it is not so actually. I liked reading the book, and being a part of this review program. And hats off to the detailed researches done by the authors. In Greek mythology, sirens are creatures half woman half bird who lured sailors to destruction by the sweetness of their songs. The Amazon Link-  link Femme Fatale Following a femme fatale he met in the bar to a hotel room puts Vikram in danger. He is trapped in the web of a murder, kidnapping, and a probable terrorist attack. An IPS officer to be, yet his lack of proper judgement and suspicion of the situation, has him in difficult consequences. He is conf...
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Did I compliment you today?

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Just one compliment can change our day. Even a smallest compliment can save someone's bad day. All it takes is a genuine smile and a few words. 'You look good today.' 'You did a wonderful job.' 'You are awesome.' Everyone likes such words of praise, appreciation and acknowledgement. An honest compliment brings in courage, self belief and tremendous mental strength to survive a gloomy mood. "Compliment people, magnify their strengths, not their weaknesses." The best compliment I had ever had, or I ever gave someone was listening to their words and paying complete attention when they want to convey something. Yes, I think listening to someone and understanding her is the greatest compliment. And I make it a point to do it daily, for every friend or acquaintance I meet. "I can live for two months on a good compliment."- Mark Twain And when someone who matters in your life compliments about a thing you are most insecure about, the ...
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Before Sunrise: A Timeless Tribute To Conversations

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Source: Spiritualityandpractice One Friday evening, as I was feeling a bit lonely and homesick with nothing much to do, not even strolling on the terrace viewing the ever so beautiful mountains since it was raining hard- thus it also contributing to my gloomy mood, I decided to watch Before Sunrise. Yes, once again. A first for me. I rarely re-watch a movie. Yearning for a light-hearted yet meaningful conversation this was the best choice I had. My hostel mates were out in the city and all the people I called up were busy. Luck by chance. Thanks to the superb uninterrupted internet connection I had a great 1 hour 40 minutes that evening. "Experiencing the otherworldly. When morning comes, we would all turn into pumpkins." Even though it sounds like a cliche today, unplanned trips, adventures in life, serendipity and providence are romantic. Before Sunrise has all of these, when strangers indulge in light conversations, grow intrigued about each other's live...
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Ramayana- 'Shattered Dreams'

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‘Shattered Dreams’ is a sequel to ‘Rise of the Sun Prince’ in this Jaico Books’ new spiritual and motivational series ‘Ramayana- The Game of Life’. The first book concluded with the wedding of Rama and Sita. The story in this book commences from thereafter. Our author, Shubha Vilas takes us through the fascinating drama around Rama’s exile after twelve joyful years In Ayodhya. With enough of back story, extracts from scriptures, and many lessons for life, this book is much more than just a mythological story. The tale has many teachings, both moral and practical, for our present day to day life. Through Rama’s resolute and yet puzzling personality we are taught how to face setbacks in life, and handle problems positively. Bharata’s unique character teaches us to control our temptation and understand our real purpose in life. Sita’s persona tells us where our responsibility should lie. Her courage to renounce luxury and comfort to be with her husband Rama during his exile, te...
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