Books I read in 2015

If there’s someone who’s company can never put you off, it is undoubtedly books. Awesome weather, a cup of ginger tea and a lovely book in hand make for a perfect afternoon date with self that I often pamper myself to. 2015 was a very different year though. I spent half of the year being pregnant. In between mood swings, morning sickness, office deadlines and housework, as energy levels dipped, reading too didn’t get the due time it should have got. I used to always think of the books I would read when I would be expecting, and had even made few reading wish lists. But what a boring life if everything goes as planned! I discovered parenting blogs and apps which they gave me access to a wide variety of information in much lesser time.

Time check – 2 hours to go for IndiSpire topic to close! I just can't afford to miss writing about the books I so very enjoyed reading and sneaked out time for. Focus!

So, without wasting time, here are the few books I read in 2015. The best part though about 2015 has been that I have been able to review ALL the books I read.

1.   He Fixed the Match, She fixed Him –

2015 began with romance. This is Shikha’s debut and she did a pretty good job at that. A Cinderella love story and a fairytale wedding that transforms into a nightmare, as quickly as it had blossomed! But then, how can a love story end on a revengeful note! Grab the book if you love RomComs and savor every page as if you are reading a story. 

Read the complete review here – Book review – HeFixed the match, She fixed Him.

2.   My Clingy Girlfriend –

Relationships are like butterflies, hold them tight and they suffocate to death; but give them space and see the beauty of their colors. That’s the very essence of this hilarious book that brings laughter, sympathy, humor, anger all at the same time. My Clingy girlfriend is a funny sad tale of a Bengali boy who is stuck between an over possessive girlfriend, office politics, useless friends and umpteen desires. At one point, it seems like a no escape situation for Obro. Grab the book to know whether he finally manages to get rid of the problems in his life and also, to read some very funny How To’s. A very interesting book penned by a woman, narrated from a man’s perspective.

Read the complete review here – Book Review – My ClingyGirlfriend 

3.  Mandate : Will of The People –

Does politics interest you, but not the biased approach of most authors and media persons? If so, The Mandate is the book I would recommend. Mandate is simply a tale of Indian politics from 1970s to the early 2000s, sans views, opinions or unnecessary gyaan about its impact. And that’s the very beauty of this book. It’s a ready key to knowing the people, events and forces that contributed to the creation of the country we live in today. Since the book isn’t verbose or boring, it’s served best when enjoyed at a leisurely pace. As one progresses chapter by chapter, one comes across some very surprising facts about Indian politics that most of our generation wouldn’t have much idea about. A must read.
  

Read the complete review here – Book Review –The Mandate : Will of The People

4.   There’s Something About You –

This is not your typical boy-meets-girl book. Okay, they do meet, but there are some complications. That’s the essence of this romantic comedy by Yashodhara Lal. The book sails through on Yash’s ability to create characters and situations readers can totally relate to. Grab the book for a rather unusual account of the Boy-meet-girl story. TSAU will make you laugh, cry and think a lot about the uncertain thing called life and relationships.    

Read the complete review here – Book review – There’s something about you.

5.   Bhima – The Man In The Shadows –

We all know Pandavas as the perfect humans, Bhima being the perfect, sincere son, husband, father and brother. But he was after all a human! Having best of men as brothers and conflicting love interest can prove to be a tough situation even for toughest of men. And so, our macho hero too, felt like a man in shadows. The book tries to capture an aspect of Mahabharat that no one has attempted to touch upon before – Mahabharat from Bhima’s perspective. It is a herculean task to capture all the important aspects of a story like Mahabharat, but the author’s attempt is commendable.

Read the complete review here – Book Review– Bhima - The Man in the Shadows

6.   The Bestseller She Wrote –

The year ended on this awesome book that kept me hooked on! Ravi Subramanian’s books have always been treat reads. I had thoroughly enjoyed reviewing his last book, God is a Gamer. So, when I came to know he is foraying into the genre of romance, it was a pleasant surprise!  When it comes to romance, Indian writers usually fall prey to predictable storylines and I wondered how different Ravi’s book would be. However, having read the book, I can confidently say that not only has he successfully penned a bestseller, but has integrated his signature style of thrill and suspense into romance!

Read the complete review here – Book Review – The Bestseller She Wrote.

2015 has been a year of fiction. Hope to read a lot more of that and dive into many more genres in 2016! Happy New Year!

This post is written for Indispire – Books You read in 2015

Durga

The first time I looked at her, I just kept looking for few seconds with eyes wide open. There wasn’t anything extraordinary about her. Spotless white uniform, grey hair neatly tied into a bun, a simple look with not even a trace of makeup, yet she looked graceful and radiant in her own right.

She was the lady traffic controller at the traffic signal near my office.

We had recently relocated from Delhi to Mumbai. I was anyway dealing with a sea of cultural change; however, a lady traffic controller was a sight I don’t remember having witnessed in Delhi. The first day I saw her, I called up my husband after reaching office.“You know what, they have lady traffic controllers here!” I told him with enthusiasm and surprise. He seemed equally surprised. We briefly discussed how it would be if we started having the same in Delhi. Delhi is already known to be very unsafe for women and almost every rash driver has his HiFi links protecting him. Even if they have women traffic controllers in Delhi, I wonder if people would let them do their work in peace. Being born and brought up in Delhi, I knew that women traffic controllers would just become new eye candies and who knows the brats would break rules just to strike a conversation with a good looking lady traffic controller.

I thought of telling her this and asking about her opinion, perhaps know more about her and how she manages this predominantly men’s job. But, fearing that she might get offended, I decided to stay mum.

Few months passed like that. She became a part of my daily commute to work and often, when I crossed the signal on foot, I gave her a smile which she promptly reciprocated. My appreciation for her grew more on a particular morning when the signal lights stopped working due to some technical default. Her male colleague might have gone to check the matter as she was alone. There she was, managing a chaotic and busy traffic signal, sans traffic lights all by herself, that too during peak office hours! For a moment, I stood nearby, impressed by the discipline she maintained, for not even a single person dared disobey her orders.

I was in my 8^th month of pregnancy when I finally had a chance for a tete a tete with her. She used to notice me cross the signal with a huge baby bump every morning and often, ensured I crossed the road before she let the traffic open.

One afternoon as I was out for a stroll post lunch, luckily she was on a break while her male colleagues were managing the traffic. Not wasting a moment, I walked up to her and appreciated her for the good work. “Madam, main to bas meri duty karti hai” (Madam, I just do my duty) was all she said with a smile. I then told her I was from Delhi, the safety concerns of women there and what would happen if women started manning traffic signals there. She listened to me with a smile, and then told me that in her tenure of 11 years, not even once had she faced any trouble for being a woman – something that increased my respect and appreciation for the people of Mumbai.

A mother of 2, Durga (name changed) came from a humble background. The sole breadwinner of their family, her husband had succumbed to a road accident. Burdened by financial troubles, this mother of 2 decided to maintain her dignity and raise her children on her own sans any financial help from her parents. Choosing this profession was more of a personal choice, since Durga wanted to ensure no more lives are lost to violation of traffic rules.

But it wasn’t a cakewalk for her. Long hours of strenuous duty left her completely drained. By the time she reached home, there was a pile of housework waiting for her attention. Since those were crucial career years for her daughter, she didn’t want to burden her with house work and somehow managed everything by herself. However, her colleagues were more than happy to help. After all, God helps those who help themselves. The male colleagues deployed with her often swapped places when she appeared tired and let her take breaks. Also, the wife of a colleague staying nearby offered to help the kids with their studies by charging a nominal fee for tuition. For Durga, a headstrong woman with oodles of dignity, a complete waiver would have anyways been unacceptable.

Today, her daughter is studying in college and her son is preparing for IIT entrance exam, she tells me with a proud smile.

Not all people come triumphant from adversities of life. Women like Durga command even a higher respect. In a situation where an ordinary woman would have gone blank with shock, she thought of taking it on herself to erase the cause that not only took away her husband, but also poses a threat to other lives.

For me, she is no less than goddess Durga herself, with her many hands managing many responsibilities, and ensuring that the good wins over the evil.

On my maternity break now, I can’t wait to meet Durga again and tell her how she continues to inspire me everyday!

This contest is written for #SpreadTheVibe contest by @YouthKiAwaaz and @indiblogger

How I made travel fun and safe during pregnancy

There’s a famous quote “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” True to these words, my hubby and I are passionate about travelling. Be it a long weekend or festive offs, we are off the beaten road, exploring new destinations. Road trips give us that adrenaline rush, Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kedarnath base camp being some of our memorable road trips.

But what happens when an avid traveller is kept away from her passion? Well, she feels like a sick person. Exactly that’s how I felt when I became pregnant. We had recently relocated from Delhi to Mumbai and had not spared even a single long weekend to explore the lovely getaways around Mumbai. However, the moment I made that call to my parents and in laws to give the good news, the first advice, rather order from them was, “Now apply brakes on your travel and relax at home for nine months.” Relax at home! But setting out off the beaten path was our way of relaxing, away from the maddening rush of the city!

Did pregnancy stop me from enjoying travel? The answer is a big NO! Pregnancy is not a disease. I did two solo air travels during pregnancy – first, shortly after I discovered I had conceived, and the second in 7^th month.

Like a good girl, I obeyed my doctor and elders and avoided road trips till I completed the first trimester. The severe morning sickness was also a big factor keeping me away from travel. However, the situation improved by the time I hit the second trimester. Morning sickness was gone and I regained my energy levels. Hubby and I were craving to travel. We knew once the third trimester would begin, we wouldn’t be able to hit the road for a long time, and then we wouldn’t be able to travel with an infant that comfortably. So, towards the end of my second trimester, we cashed on a long weekend and went for a memorable Babymoon! Not for a second did pregnancy come in the way of enjoying my trip, thanks to few basic rules I followed. I am sure these tips will come handy to all my expecting friends who love to travel!...Continue Reading

Evergreen New Year Resolutions

I’m the most disappointing person when it comes to New Year resolutions and fulfilling them. Often when I am asked about my New Year resolution, my prolonged thinking mode & silence turns people away. Saves me the torture! If you were to ask me if I have ever made a New Year resolution and fulfilled it…you will be bored to death waiting for an answer.

It’s not that I never made resolutions. My childhood that fortunately was free of the World Wide Web and mobile technology saw us exchanging handmade New Year greeting cards (Buying expensive cards from Archie's Gallery were reserved for Birthdays and special occasions). Making New Year resolutions then was as important a ritual as exchanging cards. If you didn’t make a resolution, your celebration didn’t go complete.

So I too gave in to the trend and made these same funny resolutions every year –

• Losing weight –This one placed itself on priority every year. After all, have you ever met a girl who feels she has the ideal weight? However, success or failure of this resolution was relative. If the girl sitting next to me in class was heavier than me, it felt like resolution achieved at the beginning of the academic year itself. But if my desk partner turned out to be a hot chic, the resolution always felt broken. By the time New Year’s Eve came back, knocking on the door, I was already in the SWOT mode and always felt I needed to lose weight.
• Getting first position in all sections – This was my parents’ all time favorite. Typical Indian parents keep pushing their child for more, even if their offspring is a child prodigy. Even if I ranked within the top three in my class, I always saw a “You could have done better” look while I knew friends whose parents pampered them even if they scored just above 80%. The only time I felt like a scholar was when I used to go to Nirula’s to show my Report card and enjoy the free Scholar’s double Sundae! (Nirula’s used to offer free special Sundae to kids who scored 90% or more in their final exams!) Looking back now, I realize this was a blessing in disguise, for if you aim for moon, at least you get the stars. But back then, the pressure ensured this resolution was scripted at the top in my copy on every New Year’s Eve.

As I look at them now, I laugh out loud! If they weren’t fulfilled the first year, why did I hope for magical results every year?

With time, the resolutions changed from everything one desires during adolescence to the ambitious 20s. By the time I was into 4-5 years of corporate grind, I saw myself making resolutions like “meditating for 15 min every day, spending less time on phone etc.” Soon I was married and resolutions changed to “calling mom everyday for 15-20 minutes.”

Things I was supposed to do immediately were transformed into resolutions, whose progress one usually monitors by the time it’s time to make new ones.

And then, blogging happened…

I had gone for a residential MBA post marriage when blogging & I discovered each other. It was love at first sight and soon we couldn’t spend nights apart. Contests were a new thing to me back then and participating in any and every contest sounded exciting to me. Seeing my name in the winners list gave me a high that even a good CGPA didn’t.

The momentum broke once I returned home. Job, home and responsibilities jumped the line and claimed priority attention. Writing for contests then usually meant fire fighting few hours before the deadline for submission. As for impromptu blogging ideas, I began to maintain a Word document and whenever an idea popped, I promptly noted it in that document.

Soon motherhood took over every other thing. Contest deadlines were missed, word document was filled never to be reviewed, and the blogger inside grew tired of complaining. Even if the deadline was comfortably far, creativity would have mercy on me only a day before submission deadline.

Few days ago, I missed writing for a contest that really interested me and it hurt, not because of the prizes, but for the opportunity it gave me to test my writing skills vis a vis hundreds of other blogger.

So, this New Year’s Eve, I resolved to do something for the stuff that’s so close to my heart.  

• Writing for contest posts well ahead of time. I know my mind throws fabulous ideas a night before the deadline, but nobody has banned drafting a post and saving in drafts, well before deadline to be modified later.

• Also, I intend to work on the frequency of posting. An average blogger who posts periodically is far better than an amazingly creative blogger who plays the hide and seek. I know it won’t be easy but as Mr. Hubby tells me every time, there is always time for what we really wanna do!

P.S.  Somehow I have come to realize that often, the toughest or next to impossible tasks are dumped under the cover of New Year resolutions…As if, poor New Year will give in to pressure of our dreams and aspirations and magically transform the impossible into possible. My sympathies with the New Year!

 

#NewYear #Resolutions #Humor

Book review – The Bestseller She Wrote

Author – Ravi Subramanian

Publisher – Westland

Genre – Fiction

Pages – 391

Price – Rs. 295

Sneak from the cover

Master storyteller Ravi Subramanian delves into the glitzy world of bestsellers and uncovers a risky dalliance between a superstar novelist and his alluring protégé. The Bestseller She Wrote is a combustible cocktail of love, betrayal and redemption.

The Cover

A man, woman and a book - The cover page illustration is as transparent as the title itself. Since we know the book has an element of romance, one wonders how the book connects these two individuals. The curious mind begins the guessing game – Does a book unite the two lovers? I made few guesses and thought it best not to waste time, so I immersed myself in this Bestseller.

The dedication page makes the loyal reader smile with pride, as Ravi dedicates the books to the readers.

My View

Ravi Subramanian’s books have always been treat reads. I had thoroughly enjoyed reviewing his last book, God is a Gamer. So, when I came to know he is foraying into the genre of romance, it was a pleasant surprise!  When it comes to romance, Indian writers usually fall prey to predictable storylines and I wondered how different Ravi’s book would be. However, having read the book, I can confidently say that not only has he successfully penned a bestseller, but has integrated his signature style of thrill and suspense into romance!

This book reminds me of two lessons from childhood -

• Being successful is one thing. What is tougher is to retain the success and remain level headed.
• There are two ways to success – Work hard and outperform your competitors, or else, kill the competition by hook or by crook. While we may have our own thoughts about what is ethical, people believing in cut throat competition are oblivious to this sensitivity.  

A successful banker, six feet tall, handsome, a voice enigmatic enough to woo any woman – Aditya Kapoor, the paperback king of India is every inch the celeb material! Having successfully transformed from a boring banker to a bestselling author, this self made man is every youngster’s role model. Its an act he juggled with finesse – managing a tough banking job and a flourishing career as a writer; for he knew how to keep the two worlds separate. So he never let his writing affect his work commitments or vice versa.

As a blogger myself, I sometimes wonder how spouses of bestselling authors cope up. Being on your own most of the time with a busy and famous spouse is not everyone’s cup of tea. Nor it was for Maya, Aditya’s better half. But, love and commitment makes anything possible. So, a patient and caring Maya sacrifices her corporate career for her husband and derives satisfaction in managing her family well. She was true epitome of the phrase – Behind a successful man is a woman.

But what life is a life if it’s perfect? There is no fun without twists and turns. So, Aditya’s life too sees its biggest twist when he meets young Shreya at an event in IIM Bengaluru.

20 something Shreya Kaushik too, falls in the category of winning at any cost. Young, beautiful, fearless, reckless and ambitious – Shreya has a mind of her own. Beauty and wit are her assets. No man can resist her and she is very well aware of it. And that’s when trouble begins.

When two people with different value systems come together, the results are far from pleasant. Shreya is a smart gal who doesn’t fail to seize any man or opportunity that can catapult her to success.

Shreya combines planned coincidences with an innocent display and a clueless Aditya is smitten by her. Little does he realize how soon a negative remark from a spectator at a lecture transforms into a relationship. Like a weed, Shreya clings on to him as an innocent wannabe writer asking for his mentoring, however, soon spreads to his personal and professional domain.

Soon Shreya becomes the focus of Aditya’s life, with even his own writing taking a backseat against her ambitions. One feels sorry to see how a loyal and loving husband falls prey to an adulterous relationship. A clueless Maya continues be at her sacrificing best, oblivious to the broth cooking while she is busy with motherhood and her official assignments. All this while, one just marvels at Ravi’s excellent storytelling as one feels s/he is not reading a book but is watching a movie!

Just like all good things come to an end, trouble starts brewing when Aditya smells ambition in Shreya more than love. To make matters worse, their relationship soon becomes visible to people it should have never been. Even though Aditya realises his mistake, Shreya isn’t an easy person to deal with. She plays her cards so smartly that in a short span of time, Aditya’s personal life profession, and writing are in doldrums! With everything at stake at once, one wonders whether Aditya will be able to get his act together or not.

It is then that another twist in the story proves that there was something beyond being a bestselling author that set Aditya apart from the rest - his ethics and values that he never compromises on. Had there been someone else, he would have crumbled under pressure. In fact, the story  even has one such character. However, Aditya’s sincerity towards his commitments and level headed mind is very impressive. One knows that Aditya is the hero. Eventually, he will win the troubles over and prove to be the perfect role model. But HOW?

Usually, romantic stories become predictable by this stage, however, it's exciting that the readers still remain clueless as to what turn the story would take to get Aditya’s life back in shape.

Without giving spoilers, I would recommend you to read and find that out yourself. As for me, it took me sitting up till late night to kill my curiosity! But that’s the best part about Ravis’s stories. One can never predict what's gonna happen and you are in the nail biting mode till the end. And the moment the suspense is broken, you are like, “What? I could have never guessed this” Well, welcome to the world of romantic thrillers, if I may categorize so!

And oh! I forgot to mention the amazing tips inside the books for wannabe bestselling writers! Sharing few, grab the book for more –

• Rags to riches works for non-fiction books and true stories  - at times even for films. But for fiction, in india, specifically, tragedy rules. Reading about someone else’s woes and crying bucketfuls is a national past time!
• New authors should try and reach out to a publisher through an agent or through someone they know. Helps avoid their manuscript going into the slush pile.
• Publishers are like potential love interests. The more you chase them, the more they run away from you and the more you let them be, the more they are drawn to you.

What I loved about the book

• Ravi’s art of storytelling. The story picks up pace almost instantly and maintains it till the end. One can’t help but remain glued to the book!
• Language is crisp and the plot devoid of any drags.
• Being his debut in the genre of romance, I must compliment the dignity with which Ravi describes romantic encounters. While most authors adopt cheap tricks of filling pages with sensuous descriptions and fantasies, Ravi knows where to draw the line.
• As I mentioned above, most romantic stories get predictable after 150 odd pages and reading till the end is a mere formality for the reviewer. But the twists and turns and a climax one couldn’t have thought of – that’s the beauty of Ravi’s books 

What could have been better

While everything is fair in fiction, one feels the story could have been just as delightful sans a few deviations. The whole Ebola affair and magical recovery as well as the involvement of Ramesh Karia seems rather dramatic and too much to believe.

My rating

4/5

About the Author

Ravi Subramanian, an alumnus of IIM Bengaluru, has spent two decades in the world of global banks in India. Four of his seven bestselling titles have been award winner. The Bestseller She Wrote is Ravi’s first book on romantic intrigue. Ravi lives in Mumbai with his wife and daughter.

Connect with Ravi Subramanian at –

www.ravisubramanian.in

email – info@ravisubramanian.in

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/authorravisubramanian

Twitter - http://twitter.com/subramanianravi

Buy Book - http://www.amazon.in/dp/9385152386

You can also get in touch with the Ravi Subramanian App (iOS or Android)

I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Smart moms shop with FlipkartKids

What happens when you land up in a new city, are bad with local navigation, have a hectic schedule at work and in dire need of shopping? Ting tong, e-commerce comes to rescue!

Well, that’s my story. Ever since I left the comfort zone of my hometown last year and relocated to a new city, my life has been super busy. After slogging at work for 5 days, all I wanna do on a weekend is spend a lazy day with Mr. Hubby, a good movie and food ordered from my favourite restaurant. But then, shopping is to woman what dope is to an addict! Sorry, bad example but you see that’s how it is! No matter how much we have, we always want more! In a city like Mumbai, I would rather prefer spending quality time with Mr. Hubby at home than spending half of our weekends stuck in traffic jams, quenching my thirst for shopping. Thanks to online shopping, I am able to pamper myself to best of both the worlds! A smart phone and hubby’s credit card is all I need to sit at home, yet manage to impress my colleagues with the latest, trendiest and the coolest stuff they can’t sometimes get in stores!

I realized the power of e commerce the most when I became a mommy. Not in my wildest dreams can I think of shopping with a cranky baby, whose vicious cycle of feeding, poo & pee would keep me confined to the feeding room of the mall! But, I am a smart mom. I have shopped almost everything for my little one online – from diapers to toys, feeding bottles, clothes (size 0 clothes aren’t really an issue when purchasing online!)…u name it and I got it.

That’s when I began to wonder how these trends in e commerce have changed the way we shop for our kids –

Convenience – We can shop from anywhere, anything, anytime and it will be delivered to us within the committed timelines. What’s more, with Flipkart, one can also choose Express delivery just in case you need the product urgently! Feature like FlipKart Ping and Image search make shopping a fun experience!

Easy returns – Who wants trips back and forth to the store when you can manage easy returns from home!

Genuine products and sales support - Buying from trusted websites guarantees genuine products. There is also a dedicated call center to cater to all customer queries.

Apps – I swear by my FlipKart App! Not only does it make shopping convenient, it also notifies me of latest offers, deals and products of my interest!

Discounts and offers – If you are a smart and aware shopper, you can really make good use of the deals and discounts e commerce has to offer.

All brands under one umbrella – When I was a kid, my friends would flaunt the branded toys their parents bought during international trips. Thanks to e commerce websites like Flipkart, we can shop for any international brand from the comfort of our homes.

Reviews – This is one of my favorite features. I love to go through the review before taking my pick.

The #FlipkartKids Indiblogger Meet on 19^th December was about all this and a lot of fun.

The moment I received the Indiblogger mail about the meet, I was all excited and eager since I myself shop everything online for my baby! Flipkart has launched India's largest online kids store and the meet revolved around the same. There was also a twitter contest where one had to post pic of your kiddo’s favorite toy and the best 10 tweets would win Rs. 1000 Flipkart vouchers. I immediately got in action and posted few tweets with pics of my little one’s toys.

Somehow, Mumbai traffic loves to play spoilsport for my Indimeets. However, this time I wasn’t willing to give up. A clueless cabbie, turtle speed traffic and few frantic calls to friends later I was at the venue - Blue Frog. My savior blogger buddy Sujata Tawde who had guided me to the venue welcomed me and I took a huge sigh of relief. Vineet welcomed us and suggested we quickly register and grab our lunch as the event was just about to begin. After all the struggle to reach the venue, I was super hungry. So, we dashed to the buffet and filled ourselves with some veggie delights. However, Sujata soon spotted the sinful strawberry pastries and we pampered our sweet palates. As I regained some energy, I looked around and realized what a wonderful venue Blue Frog was! The venue was definitely worth the drive & the seating arrangement was just so so cool! To add to the fun was Chhota Bheem himself, obliging everyone with a hug and a pic!

The event began shortly with Anup welcoming us all, along with Kalpana Behara, a veteran mommy blogger. It was a fun and insightful session where she shared her experiences as a mommy blogger – How she deals with writers block; how much to reveal abut one’s life on the blog; and what keeps her motivated. As a newcomer to parent blogging, the session was special for me and I listened with rapt attention.

Next, it was time for a panel discussion with representatives from Flipkart, Mattel and Chhota Bheem team on how e commerce is changing the way we shop for our kids. Many bloggers too shared their views and clarified their doubts regarding online shopping.

After a short break began fun time with a performance by the in-house band Blunder In the Code! I had missed their performance in the last Indimeet and so I thoroughly enjoyed myself this time with my blogger friends!

An Indimeet is never complete without THE activity. Going with the theme of e commerce, the game was Ad Mad where each team had to advertise FlipKart products in the most innovative manner. After a lot of brainstorming, my team of 10 presented the skit “Age of innocence” where the #FlipkartSanta brought products for various stages of a kid’s life.

True to an IndiMeet, there was endless selfies, giggles and lots and lots of fun with blogger friends. Being the last Indi Meet of the year, all of us took the opportunity to exchange New Year wishes.

Just as we were about to move out, we got a cute li’l surprise – Very cute Chhota Bheem soft toy from the upcoming movie Chhota Bheem and Himalayan Adventure! I was as excited as a 10 year old for the toy is really cute and we got excuse for another round of selfies with Chhota Bheem toy!

The last Indi Meet for the year 2015 was definitely full of fun, friends and e commerce insights!

Book review – Bhima – The Man In The Shadows

Author – Vikas Singh

Publisher – Westland

Genre – Fiction

Pages – 291

Price – Rs. 350

Sneak from the cover

A fascinating perspective on one of the most important characters of the Mahabharata, who lived in the shadow of his brothers’ fame.

The Cover

The mighty, macho and powerful Bhima welcomes readers to the book with his mace and bow. He looks every inch the perfect Indian warrior. Then what is it that makes him the man in shadows?

My View

I still remember the excitement around BR Chopra’s Mahabharat when I was a kid. Sunday mornings became family time as all gathered to watch the TV serial together. Even roads used to wear deserted look. Of the five Pandavas, my favourite was Bhima, because he was strong, brave, innocent and total hero material who didn’t hesitate once before knocking evil Rakshashas down. Give a challenge and Bhima would always spring up in action. Years later, when Chota Bhim came as cartoon series, I realised what a hit Bhima is with all kiddos.

That’s why the book “Bhima – The Man In The Shadows” invoked curiosity. We all know Pandavas as the perfect humans, Bhima being the perfect, sincere son, husband, father and brother. But he was after all a human! Having best of men as brothers and conflicting love interest can prove to be a tough situation even for toughest of men. And so, our macho hero too, felt like a man in shadows.

The book tries to capture an aspect of Mahabharat that no one has attempted to touch upon before – Mahabharat from Bhima’s perspective. It is a herculean task to capture all the important aspects of a story like Mahabharat, but the author’s attempt is commendable. Writing style is narrative as Bhima looks back at the story of his life.

The book begins by Bhima killing Dusshasana and fulfilling his vow for his lady love. However, was the similar love reciprocated by the lady? Well, for a lady who loved and married her hero, but was shockingly presented four more husbands, loving five men equally must have indeed been tough. One feels sorry for Bhima as time and again, we see Draupadi using him for her own selfish interests but playing smart when it comes to being the wife. Bhima is a very pure soul at heart and that’s something we all love him for. Instead of exercising his right as a husband, our dude decides to be Draupadi’s true friend and win her heart. Despite other Pandavas breaking her heart at some point in their lives (Yudhishthira in gamble game, Arjun by further marriages), Bhima stays loyal and plays the protective hubby – be it by killing Keechak, or avenging insult from Duryodhan and Dusshashan. Even in the final moments of life at the Himalayas, when everybody sticks to the rule of “keep moving”, Bhima displays his loyalty and love for Draupadi by choosing to be with her.

As the TV serials always portrayed ideal brotherly love and devotion, I sometimes wondered if it’s too good to be true. The book smartly touches upon the Bhima’s perspective on his equally great brothers. Bhima was the second eldest of the Pandavas. However, most of the story sees him confined as a man in shadows of his brothers – Yudhishthira and Arjun. He recollects several incidents where he played the pivotal role however, the other brother got all the credit. For instance, when Guru Drona summons Pandavas to defeat and capture Drupada, Bhima single handedly hold Drupada’s bodyguards while Arjun captures Drupada. However, that goes unnoticed in the halo created around the great archerer Arjun. Since Bhima had vowed to finish all Kauravas, he considers this as his main goal during the battle of Mahabharat, going after them one by one, killing them all. But does the world credit him for being the destroyer of Kauravas? It is always Arjun who is the hero – handsome, smart, ambitious, and someone who likes to possess the latest and the best – be it weapons or women! While he is forever on the lookout for the next best thing, Bhima with the heart of gold plays the best friend to Draupadi.

When Pandavas left for the Swayamvara, their mother was aware what her sons were upto. So, when Arjun joyously yelled out to her to come and see what he had won, wasn’t it smart of her to pretend having thought of it as Bhiksha and asking the sons to share?

Yudhishthira has always been portrayed as the face of Dharma – honest and unbiased. However, listen to Bhima’s story and you will encounter several incidents where he was diplomatic and avoided controversies.

Bhima was not just a loving husband and a devoted son and brother. He was a doting father too and one gets emotional reading the chapter on Ghatotkacha. Although we’ve read these stories over and over again, the book brings a very different modern flavour to the whole story. Ghatotkacha and Abhimanyu here talk like modern day cool dude kids and don’t mind pulling their father’s leg!

The book is full of other interesting incidents beautifully narrated. Bhima is a curious and observant person and his encounters with Devas and are fun to read. The author adds his own element of technology and logic to the magical powers of Devas. For instance, we all know about Bhramastras, the divine weapons earned by pleasing Gods and that they couldn’t be used on humans. But the way the book explains the Bhramastra technology refined for use on earth makes you smile and appreciate the creativity. The new generation doesn’t believe in miracles but logic and the author is aware of this. Hence, the logic and frequent reference to technology are well positioned to entice young readers.

Some important lessons of life conveyed beautifully through short instances in the book –

• Never take people at face value. And never underestimate an opponent just because he looks weak.
• There is no shame in trying and failing. What is unfortunate is when people either don’t try something out of fear of failure, or deliberately don’t put in their best effort so that they can later console themselves that it never mattered to them
• The most amazing thing in the world is that everybody dies one day, but everybody acts as if he will live forever.
• Gita’s message by Shri Krishna summarised in a paragraph.

What I loved about the book

• The author successfully overcame the big challenge of bringing novelty to a story everyone remembers by heart. All versions we have seen and read so far are indeed interpretations of the basic story by several authors. But read this book and it seems so in sync with the modern times – be it the language or logic.
• I was very impressed with the introduction of science and technology elements with reference to Devas. While there are often discussions on how advanced that era was, references to Devas’ technology and mechanics of heaven also make the book instant hit with the younger lot.
• Mahabharat is a long story and it isn’t easy picking the main incidents and weaving a story within 290 odd pages. The story within story style makes the book a very interesting read.
• All the fight sequences and techniques are so elaborately explained that I could visualize them. Wonder if the author is trained in some martial arts!

What could have been better

• Mythology and sex sells. However, combining the two can be a little tough at time. I picked up the book with great enthusiasm. However, for the first few chapters the unnecessary references to Bhima’s sexual encounters and the thoughts in the mind of a man got me doubtful as to where the story was headed. For instance, Bhima and Hidimba making love next to the body of Hidimb was surprising. When Yudhishthira explains Pandu’s death to Bhima, he says, “Father is dead. His heart suddenly stopped while he was frolicking with Mother Madri”. Its only after a few chapters that one gets introduced to other aspects in the mind of Bhima and that’s when the story really picks up pace.
• Some facts have been unnecessarily tweaked. Although the author has clarified this in the endnote, the reader begins to wonder whether to treat the story as sheer fiction inspired on Mahabharata or Bhima’s perspective on the story. For instance, I failed to understand why Hidimba is shown to have died protecting a child from a wild boar.

My rating

3.5/5

I recommend this book for its innovative approach to the epic story. The portrayal of Bhima as the man in shadows to the destroyer of Kauravas had me impressed.

This review is for Writers Melon.