Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Book Review: Chanakya's New Manifesto



Book:  CHANAKYA’S  NEW MANIFESTO 
 
Author:  Pavan K. Varma 
 
ISBN:  978-93-82277-09-5 
 
Genre:  Non Fiction

Price:  295 ( I got it from Blogadda in a book review program) 
 
Pages:  248 
 
Publisher:  ALEPH BOOK COMPANY 

 Introduction:

Whatever state we are in at present has a direct incentive of our past performance, our present actions based on the correlative implication of our past and present and our future implementation and execution of goals considering all the three timelines taken into prospective.  This isn’t a book to read in a single sitting and grasp everything out of it. It’s meted out of sincere efforts put up to bring out the real scenario of the country with summoned realistic counsels to overcome from rather deplorable condition the country is facing today. This book is laid on connoting the thoughts and preachings of one of the greatest scholar world has ever known Chanakya along with the beliefs and teachings of our father of the nation Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, encompassing the present scenario.  Author's vitalizing feat can also be sensed from the 65 references which he made to make a stronghold case of his treatise.

         An eye opener for all the Indians who aren’t awake yet


Cover Page:


Black hole is of prime importance as it devours everything else. How would you represent a black hole in terms of color? Black isn’t it? Yes this color has significance in the cover page of this book as it encompasses everything India needs to do to envision itself as “Sarvagun Sampoorna” (To bring out the best in terms of completeness).  If an adequate action isn’t taken now we would drown our self to a pitiful grave which is looking more promising similar to engulfing in a black hole.


About the Author:


Pavan K. Varma,studied history at St. Stephen College, New delhi and took a degree in law from Delhi  University.He has been press secretary to the president of India, official spokesman of the Foreign Office, director general of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and India's ambassador to Bhutan. Having taken premature retirement from the Indian Foreign Service, he now seeks to be actively involved in public life.


Pavan K. Varma has authored several acclaimed and bestselling books, among them, Ghalib: The Man, The Times; Krishna: The Playful Divine; The Great Indian Middle Class; Being Indian: The truth about why the 21st century will be India's; Becoming Indian: The Unfinished Revolution of Culture and Identity and When Loss is Gain. He has also translated into English the poetry of Gulzar, Kaifi Azmi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Compostional Report:

Prologue of this book covers the bases or the roots from which a theme is derived and later matured into a fully fledged blueprint for a change.  Starting with Chanakya's preachings from Arthashastra , an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy  written by the great scholar dating back 2300 years BC Era, captivating  to our present day scenario which needs an immediate alteration.

Author of this book Pavan K. Varma has succinctly exploited the prowess of demarcation to mark 5 significant areas which requires a prominent stance in terms of actual implementations. This book covers an equitably devised areas of concern viz. Governance, Democracy, Corruption, Security and the creation of an Inclusive society with a prior liaison with our immediate Past, since our Independence in 1947 highlighting all the pros and the cons linked with each and every decision taken by our fore founders of the country.

This book covers all the 5 eminent lurking dangers with detailed analysis of each with the basic knowledge of what is the current situation, why are we in such a state and what is the probable outcome if we continue to progress or rather regress with such a rate and most importantly what needs to be done to overcome our stricken state and be amongst the fortified nations. This book has sought 354 lines of immediate action points covering all the cornerstones along with the detailed reasoning of each and every point stated (57-Democracy, 87-governance, 111-corruption, 58-security and 41-creation of inclusive society)

The best part according to me was the presentation of real India to its mass and the detailed action plan mentioned to root out all the evils from our country. This is not a novel for a literate person but a bible to an educated citizen, perhaps this is the best and the worst thing which it contains.

Worst- let us take an example mentioned in this book
5 years ago shortage of coal was 43 million tones and now it is 140 million tones. India being a 4th largest in cola reserve this is something unbelievable.”
 What will a common person understand with 43 million tones and 140 million tones except that it has further decreased?

Best- As I said this has nothing to do with a literate mind but means a lot to an educated citizen. The reason being the exponential decrease of coal reserves in spite of all the planned (unplanned) strategies that let to shrinkage of reserves, policies of the government (governance), Use of resources ( democracy),Coalgate scam(corruption), Proper utilization and growth of available resources along with its security (Security) and harnessing resources for a sustainable progress(creating an inclusive society). This book covers everything and that’s why I recommend it to all educated minds, a must read as I always believe a knowledgeable citizen is much better than an ignorant one when it comes to tackling a situation at hand.

I agree with the author “it’s time to change and if we fail, India may never succeed. Our future is at stake.
I would rate this book 4.5 out of 5.




Life Adjudication of the book:

This is a book to awake our sleeping brains and start acting towards our cumulative goal to progress



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

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Love is all,you ever need…!!!


There’s nothing wrong in having a coldhearted feeling for someone. You won’t be called fraudulent for rejecting someone, who loves you whole heartedly. But have you ever thought why, We the human beings who crave for a little love and a glimpse of affection from everybody around at times run away from people who genuinely care?
We tend to regard them as smitten and ignore them. We strain to endure with someone whom we think is suitable for us or those we feel we are compatible with. But my question is what’s wrong with the person whom you rejected?  Can Love be the reason of being neglected?

There may be various reasons for you to reject someone. I would request the readers to be ready with their analytical glasses by the time I end up with this story.

Anisha was talking to her best friend Sobha about her indifferent past.
Sobha: Gosh! He loved you…didn’t you feel for him anytime?
Anisha: You know he was a good guy…but far too much sentimental to my liking…I feared he might do something…you never know anything about these emotional guys.
Sobha: Why what happened?
Anisha: You know I liked him but I felt he was too much possessive, would often say I would do anything for you and would die for you if need arises and such craps like that.
Sobha:  That’s a speech every Romeo in town has, on their lips…but you were in contact with him for more than 2 years. Did you feel about his possessiveness during that period?

Anisha:
No! He was actually a nice guy; helpful and friendly nothing of that sort…didn’t even look or stare at girls.

Sobha: Then why do you think he was possessive?
Anisha:
I think long distance was hurting him and he would often say…if I won’t marry you I will die…he would often speak about death…I felt it won’t be good to stick with someone who is so rueful about life…sometimes I felt he’s gone crazy and would do anything.

Sobha: Any such instance?
Anisha:
You know out of a bloom he came up to my city once and called me to meet…I denied, thinking he might throw acid on me as I had told him I have a boy friend and I don’t love him anymore.

Sobha: Ok… what did he do then?
Anisha: He said he would come up to my house and speak up to my parents.
Sobha: What did you do then?
Anisha: I was afraid as I didn’t want him to meet my parents and I had my medical exams on board… I told if he really loves me and wants me to be happy…he should go away.
Sobha: What did he do then?
Anisha:
 He went away…without disturbing me any further.

Sobha: So he didn’t try to contact again?
Anisha: Yes he did.
Sobha: What did you speak to him?
Anisha:
I told him to forget me as I was happy without having any contact with him. I told him I have an important person in my life and I don’t want him to disturb my happy life.

Sobha:  What did he do then?
Anisha:
  You won’t believe what he actually did…he contacted the person I liked and asked him to keep good care of me and then he never came between us.

Sobha: So he never tried to contact you?
Anisha:
You know, I knew him since school and therefore there were many common friends whom he would ask about me.

Sobha: So what did you do?
Anisha:
In my last conversation with him I told him frankly I don’t like him contacting my friends regarding me and because of him I couldn’t keep in touch with my friends.

Sobha:
So what did he do?

Anisha:
He stopped contacting my friends.

Sobha: That’s the end right?
Anisha:
Yes.

Sobha:
Do you think he might still have the same feelings for you?

Anisha:
I don’t know.

Sobha:
Do you really believe that there’s a person in this world whom god has sent for you and he would do everything just to be with you?

Anisha:
Might be…but I haven’t met any such person till date.

Sobha:
How do you know?

Anisha:
I never felt like spending my life with any person.

Sobha:
Ok…I understood everything…who is the most important person in your life?

Anisha:
How is it related to the topic? Anyways the answer is my Parents.

Sobha: Suppose for some reason…i hope it never occurs in your life….your parents want to break all their contacts with you…say for your decision for marrying someone whom they don’t like…what will you do?  
Anisha: First of all I will never go against my parents decision…so no question of getting into such a phase. Sobha: I am only talking of an incidence just for an imagination what would you do…to have you parents in your life?
Anisha:
Ok….i would talk to them…would discuss about in details and would make them realize the importance that’s it’s my life and I should be happy with the person whom I choose to marry.

Sobha: Suppose your parents don’t agree…and you have failed in each and every attempt to convince them…what will be your final talk? You cannot leave either the person you love or your parents.
Anisha:
  I will ask my parents to divide me into two halves one to keep with themselves and the other with the person I love.

Sobha: Did you realize what you spoke just now? Not only you…it is applicable to each and every person in this world…when you want someone in your life desperately you try your best to be with that person…you try to convince them as much as you can…if you couldn’t, you try to take advantage by being emotional…if it also fails …the last thing available for you is to speak about your life/death. And by far what I heard he did the same thing.
Anisha: Whatever you are saying may be true he may have genuine feelings for me but you know I don’t feel anything for him. I told him about it and if he couldn’t take it as I intended what can I do for it?
Sobha:
It’s not that you told him this in the first instance…you have even accepted his proposal…if I am not mistaken.

Anisha:
I was just checking him out…I had no feelings…I thought if I speak those 3 words to him I may feel the love for him…but I didn’t.

Sobha:
If you don’t have any feelings for him…you did the right thing…but what about him…I don’t know whether you believe or not but Love happens only once and there are few people who give their heart and soul to it. He kept on your vows and gladly accepted each and every term you kept against him without a question. He went away from you, your life and your friends because you wanted him to be out of your life.

 

Anisha: But where is my fault?
Sobha:
It’s not about finding faults…it’s about a person’s life. You did whatever you wanted you wanted from your life. You were not ready for a relationship and frankly speaking the way I feel you felt yourself burdened or chained to go into a relation…you wanted to enjoy life, be free like a bird as you didn’t want to get serious about love.

Anisha:
Yes…that’s what I believed all my life.

Sobha:
But did you realize what imprints you left on his heart? Do you think he would lead a normal life?
 

Anisha:  What can I do about it?
Sobha:
I am not asking you to do anything, just for a moment think… if you were in his place what will you do? How would you feel…how would you react? What if, he still loves you? You never know he might still be waiting for you.

Anisha:
I don’t want to get into this awkward situation…please.

Sobha:
I know it’s better to keep oneself at a safe distance from any undue troubles but did he actually harm you in anyway?

Anisha: Why are you asking this?
Sobha: The way I see it…earlier you ignored him because he was sentimental about you, after a while you kept him away from your life feeling he might harm you for rejecting him and now I believe you are not ready to even find out whether he still loves you or not because you are egoistic. You don’t want to fall before your ego.
Anisha: No…it’s nothing like that.
Sobha:
Then what stops you from trying to contact him and see if he actually has the same feeling for you.
 

Anisha: Why would I do that?
Sobha:  Don’t you think there was something incomplete about your story? Don’t you think there’s something missing? Don’t you think your inner soul have a grudge upon you? Don’t you think you were too stubborn? Do you really feel a person who loved you so much deserves this negligence? Don’t you feel a love story can never end like this?
Anisha:
Why are you speaking all these things?

Sobha:
You are a very good friend of mine and therefore I believe…you should try to contact him once. You are pretty and am sure many people might have proposed you but have you ever seen or even heard any person reacting the way he did?

Anisha:
I told you he doesn’t seem to be normal.

Sobha: When you love someone whole heartedly…you can never be like a normal person.
Anisha: what do you mean?
Sobha:
loving someone doesn’t mean you are bowing to someone. You never fall for letting go your gut feeling and accepting the one who loves you. Love is not bounded by anybody’s ego.  Love is serene like the wind which likes to flow uninterrupted and the way you disrupted its flow I am sure you will feel suffocated if not now than certainly in the very near future.  

Anisha: you and your love philosophies…are impeccable.
Sobha: Anisha think about the entire discussion I had with you today and am telling for your sake only…at least once think from your heart and decide what you have to do with your life. You know love is all you need to live and be happy for your entire life and there are very few lucky people for whom their love waits for them till eternity…!!!


When I was writing about this article I had youth in my mind and India’s 35-40 % population lies in the age group of 18-35. Do you know, what’s the biggest worry for these age group people?  No, career or jobs aren’t their primary stress. They are tensed about their relations. The process of being a couple is the foremost threat to their personal life. When I was thinking about Personal life most of them suffer from the heart ache of a broken relationship or they try to find ways to lament their relations. There are many such examples where a person is at loss just because of their views towards a relationship. I always believe after a person gains a bit maturity he/she does realizes Love is all that they need. And therefore this story is on a person who couldn’t decide upon her life and messed up with the question –“what she really needs.”


Enjoy the poem I wrote specially for this article…Love is all, you ever need


Love isn’t a frail to come by,
it’s not a rigid tail to hang by,
it’s like a holy grail to standby,
love Never fails to hail nearby.

Love’s like a dreamy tale to hearsay,
It’s like a rainfall in withered may,
it’s not basking blindfold all the way,
it’s like a Braille as observant say,

Love’s all about hope in dismay,
It’s full of fragrance bestowed in zesty,
It doesn’t believe in hatred or betray,
Love’s eternal and endures all the way.

Love’s an entire soul growing in a seed,
Don’t dethrone it like a petty weed,
Don’t haste love in forbearance greed,
As love is all, you ever need…!!!






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Monday, February 11, 2013

Book Review: Spicy Bites of Biryani

This Article has been selected as an editor's pick by the Paperblog Team



Book : Spicy Bites of Biryani

Author : Ashwina Garg

ISBN : 978-93-80349-84-8

Genre : Fiction/Romantic

Price : 150 (I got it from Author herself)

Pages : 225

Publisher : Srishti Publishers & Distribution



Introduction:
Sometimes in life when everything is set up, everything seems full and serene suddenly a whip sound crackles through your ear which forces you to step back and face the rather somber realistic music which is far from the dreamy world you were dreaming…realists would say, welcome to the factious reality. There are two moments in a person’s life when one feels he/she has everything in life but yet something is missing, it’s the time when one wakes up from a beautiful dream and the other when one tries to cover the lacunas of love life crossing vehemently a blistering career, suddenly finds oneself at the wrong foot as far as age and youth is concerned. This story is about the second phase

And this light hearted romantic fiction will let you know about everything which a rich, single and prior senescence youth can bring forth and yes it goes with the quote-“The hardest thing about having the perfect life is keeping it that way”



Cover Page:
The nonchalant and blithesome story is very well depicted from the carefree outlook of the cover page. A car parked near a beach and a couple having a casual talk. By the looks you can call it a stress buster while you go through the book clichés may take up the toll and you may be subdued by the plain mockery of things .you may recall the taste buds partly tangy partly spicy while devouring a Biryani.

 
About the Author:
Ashwina Garg lives in Hyderabad with her husband and two kids. She studied accountancy and has worked as an entrepreneur, a German translator and a technical writer. Spicy bites of Biryani is her Debut Novel.

 
Compositional Report:
Spicy Bites of Biryani is all about the hiccups of life and the main two characters of the story Aditi Patil and Sanjay Bolisetti are certainly not any exception.
Aditi Patil, Writer by profession has written 2 best sellers but is struggling to find words for her 3rd book for more than a year. She is facing a writer’s block as people may say but there are no blockages of moving over to one boyfriend after the other. She lives life on her own terms, doesn’t want to give any heed to what others think or feel about her. An obedient student of Anti marriage syndrome and her blogs are the sole realistic link to her rather oblivious lifestyle.  It’s only after she meets Sanjay Bolisetti that she felt of changing up with her modus Vivendi.

 
Sanjay Bolisetti, An US returned Telugu speaking tall, nerdy, rich guy with middle class roots in his mid 30’s came up to India after getting betrayed, selling off his company in a view to get settled in India after marrying a suitable alliance. Aditi made her views crystal clear from the first day itself that she is no mood to get married but Sanjay like a tyrant lost in a battle came back to her after all his relatives and friends failed in their attempt of match making. This story is a journey Sanjay forged to tame the wild tigress which will remind you of rather entertaining and tiresome journey.

 
Mayank Arora and Jayashree Arora are two important characters of the story.
Mayank belonged from a typical Punjabi family who married Jayashree Sastri from a conservative Tamilian culture while they were both working in US along with Sanjay. Back in India Mayank and Jayashree was compliance of Aditi. Though their roles were of minuscule importance as far as the main theme is concerned and were only efficacious when Sanjay and Aditi needed a social grouping as both Mayank and Jayashree were too occupied with their office deadlines, conservative families and their own problem of having a child.
As far as the shortcomings is concerned which I felt is very ominous is abbreviating the roles of Mayank and Jayashree while it concentrated mainly on Sanjay and Aditi leaving the other two characters almost aloof. Though the tone was set on Aditi and Sanjay…yet at times it seemed as they ceased to flow and the final climax seemed incomplete as it wasn’t shown what was inevitable and the attempt of unnecessary twist of kidnapping Aditi flunked somewhat as it proved to be rather numb and vague ending. A bit more humor would have given an ideal touch.  

The main throbbing points would be the justification done with the role of Aditi and her unwillingness to marry and Sanjay’s overwhelming response of mingling his high class status with that of his middle class roots.  The minor subplots were held firm and it added wings to main storyline. Author though a first timer held a grip on the storyline through a typical chick lit sensation throughout. Over all, an eminent
story, gracious characters and felicitous theme, this is a typical stress buster and 3.5 star rating makes it meriting read.
 



Life Adjudication of the story:

A book to read at time of bed before going off to buzz. This story has enough to relax your mind at the same time stimulate your energies back after a stressful day.




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Friday, February 8, 2013

A moment to Cherish 2: Liebster Award



Liebster award:

Liebster Blog Award is an Award that is given by the blogging community to new upcoming and deserving bloggers, (As per the rules set up by the blogging community at large, This award is given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers) in acknowledgement of the good articles and posts they have written. In presenting a fellow blogger with the reward, the nominee is encouraging him/her to continue creating interesting and inspiring posts… And therefore it is also a motivational Award.


Acknowledgement:
When you expect the least you get the most. No, this isn’t any philosophical quote but a reality. I would like to give my heartiest gratitude to  FarzadMinoo Damania for nominating me for my 2nd Leibster Award. This award reminded me of a yet another saying you will get the appropriate measure of your reward at the adequate time, neither before nor after. I am really grateful to Farzad Minoo Damania for considering my articles worth of getting an award.

Rules for accepting Liebster Award are:


1.  Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog and link back to the blogger who presented this award to you.
2. List 11 random facts about yourself.
3. Answer the 11 questions from the nominator.
4. Present the Liebster Blog Award to 11 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserves to be noticed
5. Create 11 questions for your nominees.
6. Leave a comment on their blog letting them know they have been chosen.
7. Copy and Paste the blog award on your blog.

11 Random facts about myself:

1. I never give up, Never
2. I follow my heart in taking up decisions
3. For me my commitment is my pride
4. I am passionate about my feelings
5. I believe in creating my own destiny than falling prey to the destined fate.
6. I love to take up challenges
7. I like to lead and yearn to be a leader (not political off course)
8. I am a straightforward communicator and don’t like to beat around the bush
9. I lead my life with my own theories which are pretty awkward at times
10. Though fond of being in company of friends but like to spend more time in solitude
11. Love to make people happy even if I had to face the extremes in doing so

Answer to my questionnaire
1            1        What is one thing you love about yourself?
               ---My never say die attitude

2           2    If you were a crayon, what colour would you be and why?
              ---I would like to be the colour white… it may seem useless but without  it, a box of crayon can never be complete

       3   What would be the first thing you would buy, if you won Rs. 1 cr. Jackpot lottery?
            ---Happiness…but I suppose 1 cr. Won’t be sufficient as happiness is priceless.

 4    If any character from a movie or novel could be your best buddy, who would you want it to be and why?
---Character Arya(Allu Arjun) from the Telugu movie Arya2. The reason is simple enough I want to be a person like the character Arya.

 5    What is your most favourite social media tool, and why?
---Obviously Blogspot…because right here I can simply be me without anybody      judging over me.  

6    You are given an opportunity to direct a commercial Bollywood movie. Which actor and actress would you cast for the lead roles and why?
---Actor: Hrithik Roshan
     Actress: Genelia D’Souza
     Reason: I like them the most

7    Who inspires you and what is your favourite quote?
---My Father (My Inspiration for life…) there’s someone else also I cannot name here.
Favourite Quote: Actually there are many quotes…I cannot name one…but still would present one here…
“You can share your happiness with anybody but i want to be someone with whom you can share your sorrows...!!!”

8    Do you have a special talent? Explain.
---Special Talent…. I think I can make up stories for my blog from nowhere.
As far as explanation goes…I would like to say…most of my stories are a result of a mind in solitude.

9   What is the funniest thing you have ever done?
---Once in my dream…I saw I left the entire answer sheet blank…and the next day I went to the teacher to request her to allow me to write for another 3 hours…my teacher responded… “Anjan your exam is scheduled for tomorrow”

10   Are you a risk taker?
  ---Yes

11  Where would you go for a dream vacation and why?
---New Zealand….I fell in love with the scenic beauty of New Zealand.


I would like to nominate


1. ODIzzEY ~ CoMe, LeTz WaLk DoWn ThE LaNe ToGeThEr--http://odizzey.wordpress.com/
2. Diana's Musings--http://dianasmusings.wordpress.com/
3. A Rat's Nibble--http://ratnibbles.blogspot.in/
4. WELCOME HOME TO SANITARIUM--http://road-to-sanitarium.blogspot.in/
5. NumeroUnity--http://ektakhetan.blogspot.in/
6. Bytes And Banter--http://bytesandbanter.blogspot.in/
7. Volatile Spirits--http://anucreations.blogspot.in/
8. Nature Travel & Photography--http://debnature.blogspot.in/
9. Matheikal's Blog  --http://matheikal.blogspot.in/
10. Pages off Life --http://pagesofflife.blogspot.in/
11. Nona's Pensieve--
http://nonaspensieve.blogspot.fr/

It’s really difficult for me to mark 11 bloggers…there are more than dozen other bloggers whom I wanted to list in here…hopefully…if i get a chance in future I would surely nominate them in my list.


My questionnaire to all those whom i nominated:

1) One thing about your personality that you hate the most?

2) If given a chance to go back into your past…Name one thing you would change in your life.

3) If you were given just a day to live what’s the first thing you will do?

4) What do you prefer the most Love or Friendship… please cite the reason?

5) Name one characteristics of a person which will enable you to judge him/her (in terms of good or bad)?

6) What’s the one thing that makes you smile?

7) If you were born again what would you want to be?

8) Will you want to spend all your life with someone who likes to be with you but doesn’t love you or someone who loves you but for some reasons ignores you?

9) Most dreaded dream that you don’t want to come true?

10) What Life means to you in not more than 5 words.

11) Name the most inspiring blog that you came across of late.





Finally it’s time…to celebrate





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