"If you can solve your problem, then what is the need of worrying?
If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?"
-Anonymous
If you cannot solve it, then what is the use of worrying?"
-Anonymous
Friday 21 July 2017
Friday 14 July 2017
“If you understand others you are smart. If you understand yourself you are illuminated. If you overcome others you are powerful. If you overcome yourself you have strength. If you know how to be satisfied you are rich. If you can act with vigor, you have a will. If you don't lose your objectives you can be long-lasting. If you die without loss, you are eternal.”
- Lao Tzu
- Lao Tzu
Tuesday 4 July 2017
The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good
"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."
-Martin Luther King Jr.
Sometime back last year, PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik adorned the name of India with medals in Rio Olympics. Apparently, the streets of Indian cities lay galore with flex banners painted in passport size pictures of politicians welcoming and congratulating the proud winners. That makes me wonder, what about those 118 other athletes who represented India but were less fortunate than Sindhu and Sakshi.
Undoubtedly the conclusion is- "No one ever talks about you if you don't win! Either be the first or the forgotten".
Success is boolean- Similarly, either you succeed or you don't. If you are doing good, you are doing injustice to the better. Although there has to be a tradeoff between what you are, what you think you are, what you should be and what you think want to be. At that point satisfaction comes into picture.
As Voltaire quoted- Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien. (The perfect is the enemy of the good.)
Tuesday 13 June 2017
Book Review: Arranged Marriage
I picked up this book as my third one from the author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. I was fantasized by the feeling of reading all her books since the time I finished these exemplary ones- The Mistress of Spices and The Palace of Illusions (which I have reviewed here). But this one broke my heart and shattered my dream of sinking in another supposed great work of hers.
This book is a collection of short stories on arranged marriages. But let me first tell you, it is not solely about "arranged" marriages, but marriages, and not even marriages, sometimes complicated relationships. It highlights the vices like live-in, infidelity, affairs,suffering, pain, injustice to women, distress etc. I was expecting it to be a collection of sweet and sour stories of arranged marriages in India, of which some might be successful and some unfortunate. But this is entirely different, not even a single story created aura of positivity- all ridden of happiness. Moreover, most of them are not narratives of India but mostly of the US- Indians, mostly Bengalis in the US.
However, if asked to choose some stories which I liked a bit are- The Maid Servant and Meeting Mrinal, which are little lengthy but captivating. After every installment of reading the book, I felt dull and gloomy, and upset for no reason! It gives off a negative vibe. Strangely, people have given so good reviews to this on the web that I was hopeful that at least the subsequent story would be different, but disappointed later.
The way marriages are portrayed here let you feel as if arranged marriages are the worst that can happen to women in India, with a demanding spouse, atrocious in-laws and the patriarchal mindset of Indian culture. It almost did not focus on the other side of it, which is progressive and fairer to women.
I give it 2 on 5 stars and do not recommend this book to anyone.
(PS: the reviews expressed here are based on my personal reading experience, and do not intend to defame, derate or
degrade the sale or vice-versa for the book. I am not paid for writing this review.)
If you are an author and want your book to be reviewed, drop an email at bookreviews@mansiladha.com.
Monday 29 May 2017
हीरा
नाज़-ओ-हिफाज़त में थे अपने शहर की गलियों में,
तिजोरी में तो सोना भी पीतल हो जाता है,
रखे कदम जो चौखट के बाहर तो समझा,
तराशे जाने पर तो कोयला भी हीरा बन जाता है।
Wednesday 24 May 2017
Book Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Thousand Splendid Suns- another marvel from THE Khaled Hosseini. He has inked the inhumane realities of Afghanistan in such a heart warming manner.
Before this I have read and reviewed The Kite Runner from the same author, which was so compelling that I bought this one too. And now, I am treasuring his third book, And The Mountains Ecoed as well.
The story is a narrative of the struggle of two female protagonists, Mariam and Laila going through the situations where even basic human rights are forbidden. This is the story of the time when Soviet were ruling Afghanistan and later arrived Taliban. The periodic political shift affected the lives and "deaths" of the citizens of the country.
This fiction is a nice portrayal of the grim conditions in Afghanistan which were not known to most of us otherwise. The main characters Mariam and Laila had to struggle through their lives bearing the sin of being born and that too, as women in that society.
To me, this book gives one message, and that is, we often tend to mourn over what we haven't got but forget about what we have. We must appreciate and thank god for giving us this wonderful life, giving us birth at the place where we are, and above all FREEDOM which is the foremost requisite of human existence and unfortunately not available to many.
I rate this book with 4.5 stars on 5, and recommend to all fiction lovers with a disclaimer that this book will give you a gloomy feeling throughout, and is not a happy-go-lucky account! You may sleep with a sad mood at times. It may leave you thinking for long. I personally got attached to Mariam and Laila so much that I used to repent on what was happening in their lives, as if they were some live people around me. Such is the magical spell of Khaled Hosseini's un-put-down-able writing.
(PS: the reviews expressed here are based on my personal reading experience, and do not intend to defame, derate or
degrade the sale or vice-versa for the book. I am not paid for writing this review.)
If you are an author and want your book to be reviewed, drop an email at bookreviews@mansiladha.com.
Wednesday 17 May 2017
खोया हुआ खिलौना और टूटी हुई पेंसिल
छत पर बिछी जब दरी होती थी,
चाँद के पार एक परी होती थी,
ग़मो की गठरी का बस इतना था बोझ,
एक खोया हुआ खिलौना और टूटी हुई पेंसिल होती थी,
कट्टी और सॉरी का सिलसिला होता हर रोज़,
रिश्तों के सौदे कि गुफ़्तगू इतनी सस्ती होती थी,
प्रतिस्पर्धा यूँ शुरू और ख़त्म होती थी,
जब कागज़ की नाव से रेस दोस्तों संग होती थी,
खाली थे हाथ फिर भी ऊँची उड़ान होती थी,
जेब में भरी एक रंगीन तितली होती थी,
कितनी सरल वो ज़िंदगी होती थी,
टूटी गुल्लक से पायी जब चंद सिक्कों कि अमीरी होती थी,
गर्मी कि छुट्टियों में होता शाम का इंतज़ार,
बर्फ़ के लड्डू कि मिठास ऐसी मोहक होती थी,
क्लास में पूछती जब टीचर क्या बनना है,
पायलट और हीरो कहते हुए चहरे पर चमक होती थी,
ऊंची लगती जब मंदिर की घंटी थी,
बड़े होने की बड़ी जल्दी होती थी,
कैसे लौट आयें वो लड़कपन के दिन,
जब सुबह के बाद रात नहीं शामें भी होती थी |
Sunday 14 May 2017
क्या तोहफ़ा दूँ तुम्हें माँ
वो ख़फा़ हो फिर भी दुलार देती है,
माँ जुदा हो फिर भी प्यार देती है,
हमारी हर भूल को भूला देती है,
वो माँ ही है जो हमें रोज़ दुआ देती है |
माँ वो है जिसने हमें जीवन दिया है और जिसने अपना जीवन हमें दे दिया है | बहुत विचार किया परन्तु इसके समक्ष कोई भी उपहार तुच्छ प्रतीत हुआ | इसलिए कुछ शब्द ही पिरो दिए इस कविता के रूप में |
क्या उपहार दूँ तुम्हें मैं,
तुमने जीवन दान दिया हैं माँ।
मुस्कान होठों पर सदा सजाये,
तुमने हर बलिदान दिया है माँ।
तुलना कैसे करूँ तुम्हारी,
तुमसा कहाँ है कोई माँ।
चाहे तुम हो रूठी हमसे,
चिंता फिर भी करती माँ।
कहा जगत ने जपो हरि भजन,
मैंने केवल कह दिया "माँ"।
क्या उपहार दूँ समझ ना आये,
शत-शत नमन है तुमको माँ।
Monday 17 April 2017
स्याही
मुद्दतों में उठायी क़लम हाथों में, देख कागज़-ए-ख़ाली हम खो गए,
लफ़्ज़ों के आईने में देख ख़ुदा को, ख़ुद ही की मौसीक़ी में मशगूल हो गए |
मन में तराशा बिखरे अल्फाज़ो को, कांटे भी फूल हो गए,
एक बूंद स्याही गिरी दवात से, छिपे सारे राज़ गुफ़्तगू हो गए |
Monday 10 April 2017
मैंने खुशियां ख़रीद ली
शहर की जगमग छोड़ कर मैंने उगते सूरज की रोशनी ख़रीद ली,
सिनेमा का विकर्षण छोड़ कर मैने किताब के पन्नो की खुशबू ख़रीद ली |
अपेक्षा का आसमान छोड़ कर मैंने प्रतीक्षा की ज़मीं ख़रीद ली,
बचपन का दामन छोड़ कर मैंने बचपने की अदाएं समेट ली।
रुई का गद्दा त्याग कर मैंने मां की गोद सहज ली,
दिन की दौड़ धूप त्याग कर मैंने सांझ की छांव सहज ली |
कोलाहल की ध्वनि नकार कर मैंने एक ग़ज़ल ख़रीद ली,
मोबाइल पर दौड़ती अंगुलियों को विराम कर मैंने वक़्त की घड़ियां ख़रीद ली।
सुविधाओं की अनंतता का बोध कर मैंने सुकून की दो रोटियां ख़रीद ली।
ख्वाहिशों को थोड़ा कम किया मैंने और खुशियां ख़रीद ली।
Thursday 16 March 2017
Book Review: Mrs. Funnybones
This book is written by renowned actress Twinkle Khanna. After digging her luck in diverse fields, she began writing. I am a fan of her newspaper column that comes every Sunday in Times of India, and also her scintillating tweets.
I would always admire her for her unconventional sense of humor, presence of mind and stark comments. Also, having traveled many roads of life including acting, interior design and, of course, writing, she carries a distinct identity and charm of her own.
This book is about her day-to-day life experiences in a funny manner.
Although, I was expecting a lot more from her debut novel. It seems more like a collection of her newspaper articles. When you spend some money to buy a book, you do not expect it to contain the stuff that a corner of a 5 bucks newspaper has! You are investing time as well as money not to know her autobiography, and that to, not actual autobiography but certain regular events from here and there from which one derives no conclusion.
With 235 pages including a lot of blank pages, text size 12 and 1.5 size line spacing, broad margins, even the slowest reader on the planet can finish this book in no time.
Not everyone wants to be enlightened by how she struggles as a mother, her baby wants to use her hello kitty potty seat in FLIGHT, or that she gets captured by paparazzi often, or that her son has got a girlfriend at eleven or the MIL jokes with her female friends or how much the family travels abroad in FLIGHTS.
Nevertheless, coming to some good points, the book is humorous, you smile and laugh from time to time and feel light when reading it. This is a quick read and hence, it may help you to overcome reader's block, if any. The sarcasm and composition of sentences is quirky.
My rating for this book is 2.5 on 5 and I recommend it to those who are are willing to pass their time on a train journey or a flight.
(PS: the reviews expressed here are based on my personal reading experience, and do not intend to defame, derate or
Not everyone wants to be enlightened by how she struggles as a mother, her baby wants to use her hello kitty potty seat in FLIGHT, or that she gets captured by paparazzi often, or that her son has got a girlfriend at eleven or the MIL jokes with her female friends or how much the family travels abroad in FLIGHTS.
Nevertheless, coming to some good points, the book is humorous, you smile and laugh from time to time and feel light when reading it. This is a quick read and hence, it may help you to overcome reader's block, if any. The sarcasm and composition of sentences is quirky.
My rating for this book is 2.5 on 5 and I recommend it to those who are are willing to pass their time on a train journey or a flight.
(PS: the reviews expressed here are based on my personal reading experience, and do not intend to defame, derate or
degrade the sale or vice-versa for the book. I am not paid for writing this review.)
If you are an author and want your book to be reviewed, drop an email at bookreviews@mansiladha.com.
Wednesday 1 March 2017
Book Review: Band, Baaja, Boys
This a book by author Rachna Singh is a light hearted comedy.
The plot is set in Allahabad. And hence, the humour. Rachna singh has brought up the core and basic aspects of the residents as her characters and translated that into humour. The characters are relatable and very usual.
The story is about Binny Bajpai - 20 year old daughter of hosiery shop owner Brajesh Bajpai and homemaker Kumud Bajpai. Binny is busy making boyfriends and spending her father's money as the only child. Meanwhile, Kumud and Brajesh are keen on getting the best groom for her from the available options. They are juggling between readily available Mr. Chaubey's son and sparsely available Mr. Dubey's son. Raja is the one sided lover of the heartthrob Binny. Rahul is Binny's lover and a politician's spoiled son. This hullabaloo gives you chuckles and giggles throughout, keeps you gripped to what happens next. (I want to control myself from being a spoiler by providing the details).
Rachna brings alive her characters who are easily identifiable and close to real life, no exaggeration. Use of Hinglish is quite funny.
If you are looking for a deep story and a witty plot, this one is not for you. It is predictable at times but a cute filmy tale. But if you are looking for a stress buster and a lot of laughter this is your cup of tea.
I applaud the observation and comic interpretation of fellow Indians (esp. from Allahabad) by the author especially when she herself was swinging between life and death (cancer treatment). It's easy to make people cry, but difficult to make them laugh, and that's what Rachna has excelled at.
I rate the book 3 on 5 and recommend it to those who want to go over a quick and light read combined with doses of fun.
(PS: the reviews expressed here are based on my personal reading experience, and do not intend to defame, derate or
degrade the sale or vice-versa for the book. I am not paid for writing this review.)
If you are an author and want your book to be reviewed, drop an email at bookreviews@mansiladha.com.
Monday 20 February 2017
Book Review: The Kite Runner
The Kite Runner, an international Bestseller, came to me as a birthday gift, and it is like none other. It is authored by Khaled Hosseni and is his debut novel. I read the 10th anniversary edition, little late indeed!
Khaled Hosseni is an Afghanistan born author, settled in the United States.
Still running my hands on the embossed letters of the book cover, which read "The Kite Runner", my mind riding back on the intelligent portrayal of the grim realities of the contemporary Afghanistan. I am assuming that this story is largely inspired from reality and has something to do with author's real life incidences. If not, I would call it exemplary and intense imagination.
The plot is set in Afghanistan, Pakistan and some in America. It is about two children -Amir and Hassan who are grow up together. Then it turns towards the brutalities of French and Taliban. Amir comes back to Pakistan and then Afghanistan only to find extremities in the country. There are a lot of twists and turns, a lot of thrill and suspense on what shall happen forth. You can hardly predict a subsequent incidence. You keep getting surprised throughout. You will feel as if you are soaked in the agony and pain of the characters. You can feel yourself to be present there and witnessing the incidences. The story telling is excellent. Minute details are covered well. Characters come in and go and come back in when you are anticipating them the least.
It's difficult to put the book down even when you are half asleep. Exactly when you feel that you can predict what is happening next, a twist pops in.
I wonder how I could take so much time to finish this book and still never get bored of it. It kept me hooked to itself, at the end of every chapter I had been tempted to read another one.
Some interesting lines from the book-
"For you, a thousand times over."
"Children aren't coloring books. You don't get to fill them with your favorite colors."
"...attention shifted to him like sunflowers turning to the sun."
"Every woman needed a husband, even if he did silence the song in her."
This book is for those who are fond of beautifully tragic fiction . However, it's not just about that. But yes, there is nothing HAPPY in this. You may feel gloomy at times. It might feel lengthy since a lot of details are covered, which could have been omitted.
I rate it 4 on 5 and recommend for all the fiction lovers who like surprises at all the stages and ready to read a not so happy-go-lucky plot.
(PS: the reviews expressed here are based on my personal reading experience, and do not intend to defame, derate or
degrade the sale or vice-versa for the book. I am not paid for writing this review.)
If you are an author and want your book to be reviewed, drop an email at bookreviews@mansiladha.com.
Sunday 12 February 2017
Pyarelal aur Premwati ki Navratri a.k.a Valentine Week
So we are in the middle of the Valentine's festival. The first one to intimate about this was the bombardment of Valentine's jokes and memes on Whatsapp. Of these the best was- wo kya kisi ko rose denge, zindagi jinki roz le rahi hai.
Although it's for "couples" (in double quotes), but this is an occasion where feminism dominates. It's an attack on the pocket of THE men, especially, teenagers! Sincere homages to Mr. Pyarelal who is vulnerable to the year's second big financial crisis apart from Premwati's birthday! Because every sweetu, jaanu, shona, babu has to repay their debt of being called so.
Pondering on how and when did it all begin? Long back, there was no lovey dovey genre of Valentine's day, but now it is. And not only this, it brought along with it a whole week comprising of Rose day, Chocolate day, Teddy day, Hug day and a few more. Of them, the most cost effective one for the cupid-struck Pyarelal is Rose day (barring the mention of uncensored K*** day and Jaadu-ki-jhappi day for obvious reasons).
Imagine if they start having a converse series of days for the loote-hue-aashiqs (the abandoned lovers) like romeo day, thappad day, daaru day, friend-zoned day, girlfriend-bani-bhabhi day etc. You never know!
Are the ladies out there giving me the look of the sajish-karti-hui TV serial MIL!? Sorry, but no sorry. For the guys, teddies, chocolates and roses are not the sole expressions of love to the fair gender, may be catalysts.
If you come across a gift shop, the whole interior these days is in red, the so-called colour of love. If you are in school, you have to be doubly sure your family remains uninformed of how you used the pocket money this month! Or you are gone.
Yesterday the devotee in me felt like stepping into a flower shop outside a temple to get flowers for offering to god . To my surprise, even they were running short of flowers. Dear god, it's off season for you, please wait!
Thanks to Bollywood movies for making this phony, cheesy, highly romanticised and commercial expression of feelings, compressed into a single day's celebration. By the way, Kaun kehta hai pyaar ek baar hota hai tumhe jitni baar dekho utni baar hota hai. True?
Are the ladies out there giving me the look of the sajish-karti-hui TV serial MIL!? Sorry, but no sorry. For the guys, teddies, chocolates and roses are not the sole expressions of love to the fair gender, may be catalysts.
If you come across a gift shop, the whole interior these days is in red, the so-called colour of love. If you are in school, you have to be doubly sure your family remains uninformed of how you used the pocket money this month! Or you are gone.
Yesterday the devotee in me felt like stepping into a flower shop outside a temple to get flowers for offering to god . To my surprise, even they were running short of flowers. Dear god, it's off season for you, please wait!
Thanks to Bollywood movies for making this phony, cheesy, highly romanticised and commercial expression of feelings, compressed into a single day's celebration. By the way, Kaun kehta hai pyaar ek baar hota hai tumhe jitni baar dekho utni baar hota hai. True?
Friday 6 January 2017
Bengaluru's Road Riddle
Helmets helmets everywhere, nobody is going anywhere...
According to a statistics published by a leading daily, Bengaluru has over 60 lakh registered vehicles. That is, one vehicle for every two people. Adding to this are transport vehicles, office cabs, office buses, 6600+ city buses (best to my knowledge).
There is a common factor that binds all the Bengalurians, and that is traffic, and complaints about traffic. I am one of them (expressed the experience on From Baby to Bhabhi here)
Complaining is easy! Blaming the authorities and government is easier! Cooperating with the inevitable is the easiest! I believe in Dale Carnegie's quote from How to Stop Worrying And Start Living - "It is so, it can't be otherwise." Therefore, keeping frustration aside, I am presenting my humorous perspective on the bumper-to-bumper traffic of the city. And yes, this post occurred to my mind while I was struggling to cross an ever-red traffic signal one fine day.
1) In Bengaluru, distance, unlike other parts of India, is not measured in minutes but real kilometers v/s the number of vehicles on the road. In other parts of India, you say "Bhai 10 min ka raasta hai. Abhi aata hun." On the contrary, here you say, "Bhai 2 kilometer ka distance hai, kabhi na kabhi to pahuch hi jaaunga." Moreover, you will always miss the Vicco Turmeric advertisement at the start of a movie.
2) You can never be the first person on a traffic signal. Apparently, you are always so far from the signal that you can't make out whether it is red or green. You miss the count of how many times it changed the colour.
3) If you drive a two-wheeler, you can vroom vroom only on the zones that four wheeler or heavy vehicles leave for you. No lane is dedicated to you and hence, you are as free as a bird. If a car driver keeps safe distance, two wheelers slip in between, thinking the driver gave them way!
4) "Helmet aapki suraksha ke liye hai"- people here understand well. If not, the traffic police will suck even the last penny from your pocket as fine. FYI, no credit cards or paytm is accepted!
5) Slow and steady wins the race. Remember the childhood tale of rabbit and tortoise. Here the pedestrian is the tortoise who reaches earlier than any of your luxury bike or car. While the rabbit is still perspiring to see the signal turn green, the pedestrian has effortlessly went across.
6) Blowing horn does imply only one thing - "Hands Up! I am overtaking you" In rest of the India, you blow horn to request the preceding vehicle for side. But here the poor guy has no side to give side.
7) There is no rush hour and empty roads are a myth. Oh, you think you are clever to skip the peak rush hour. Sorry but no sorry, the peak hours start early morning and end at night.
8) Coal tar for your car. They construct roads only with coal tar, no cement at all. Bengaluru's rains and infinite number of road users do not allow the roads to live long. But yes, the repair work is appreciable. They repair the roads overnight.
9) Mini heart attacks come in the form of cabs and buses. When they pass from nearby keeping hairline distance, you feel like buying a helicopter on EMI, or getting a life insurance.
10) You don't always need to accelerate your bike. Using your foot to make it a bullock cart is recommended. Avoid stepping on others' feet while you do that. Pro tip- Get branded shoes.
Best luck for your next tide, oops! ride.
Best luck for your next tide, oops! ride.
(Disclaimer: This post does not intend to harm, defame, or hurt the sentiments of any person, gender, religion, political party, news channel, religious belief, god or to whomsoever it may concern. I sincerely apologize in advance if it is so.)
Wednesday 4 January 2017
नज़र
नज़र नज़र में नज़रिया बदल जाता है,
एक नज़र में जीने का जरिया बदल जाता है |
- Random Thought by me