J : Just Do It: A to Z Challenge

The simple no nonsense punchline of Nike always brings a naughty smile on my face, for it reminds me of a very silly incident from my childhood. For us, the children of 80s, malls and international brands were non existent until late 90s, by when most of us had reached high school. 

It was my cousin's marriage. As was the culture, relatives swarmed the house like bees days before the wedding. It was tough then, to find space for oneself in such hustle and bustle. The topmost floor of my uncle's house had been recently vacated by his tenant, an ace fashion photographer, and they couldn't help boasting about their high profile ex - tenant.

The top floor was left open to accommodate relatives. One morning, as my younger cousin and I were playing, we spotted a strange poster on the bathroom door. Those were the days when having a poster on the doors and walls reflected one's attitude. Hours were spent in Archies Galleries trying to pick the perfect poster that complimented one's persona.

However, the poster we saw on that door had nothing extraordinary to add to someone's personality. Nor did it display the usual cute cartoons that made gals crazy. Instead, it just mentioned three words above a curve - JUST DO IT.

Being the youngest of the lot also made us the naughtiest and we never left an opportunity for mischief. The poster got our grey matter in action. For long, we kept wondering why would someone choose to have these words on a poster. 

Finally, we came to a consensus, "Just like we hate to get up in the morning and go to school, the previous tenant too, hated mornings. So, he put up this poster to console himself. We can't stop our moms from waking us up early and forcing into shower. Then, the only way to push oneself is to say - Just do it and get over"

With feeling of triumph over our successful research and sympathy for the poor guy, the two of us made this a secret joke until the wedding functions were over. Every time, we would want a good laugh, we would look at each other, say "Just Do It" and start laughing. The elders would get curious about our mysterious joke for a while and eventually resume their business. 

Of course, I didn't have to wait for long to realise that the words on the poster were not customised for the tenant. The day I bought my first Nike, I had to tell myself the same three words to stop laughing and finish shopping - JUST DO IT!

This post is written for A to Z Challenge

With Flintobox, summer vacations rock!

When I was a child, summer vacations meant either stay overs at cousins' place, or joining hobby classes. Most of the times, hobby classes were left halfway to make for family holidays. Few days before the holidays would get over, I would start fretting over the pile of holiday homework and get into the fire fighting mode.

Fortunately for today's kids, there are plenty of options to make the summer vacations worthwhile and have some "fun while you learn" moments.

Recently, while exploring such options for my nephew, I came across Flintobox, that curates subscription activity boxes for kids, aged between 2 and 8 years of age. While most of the times, we as moms spend hours deciding which activity suits our kid, Flintobox makes our life easy. One can chose the activity boxes as per the age group. What's more, each box also details the specific skills it aims to develop in the child.

Did you know?

• 90% of the brain development happens by the age of six
• Early development and positive interactions during the age of 2-8 determines the overall development of children for years to come
• Flintobox activity boxes are designed by game designers, montessori and pedagogy experts and child psychologists
• Crafted with kid friendly materials, the box is shipped all across India

This summer, Flintobox has decided to make vacations colourful with their new Colour Carnival Box - an activity kit exclusively for toddlers. Curated for children between the age of two and three, these boxes introduce the concepts of colours and patterns in a unique and interactive manner. The activities are designed to cover 12 developmental areas including coordination, cognitive and gross motor, creativity, exploration, language and social skills. The box with its 6 play activities, including a storybook is the perfect way to keep the child involved and away from excessive TV or screen time.

The best part is, whether you are at home or elsewhere, Flintobox goes with you and makes your vacations perfect!

Flintobox has released two new themes for the month of April for children aged 3 to 4 (Junior Colour Scientist) and 4 to 8 (Wildlife Safari). Limited number of boxes are produced every month, so grab one before stocks finish!

eFyDo.com - Your personal health secretary

Being new to the city, Mr. Hubby and I faced a tough time searching for the perfect paediatrician. Like every new parent, we too were super protective about our child and fretted over the slightest of ailments. We wanted the best paediatrician for our baby. So, wherever I would spot a mom in my situation, I would ask her about the paediatrician she goes to. 

And that was not all...

Maintaining the paperwork was another herculean task. With frequent doctor visits, there was a huge pile of papers and reports I carried for doctor visits and often messed up when asked for a particular document.

Seems team eFyDo.com was listening to my troubles all this while...

Deepak Rathi & Kulvinder Singh, two friends who were struck by the plight of people with chronic ailments who lost a lot of productive time keeping test reports organised.

And so was born eFyDo.com

Whether it is finding a new doctor, or maintain relationship with your current doctor; eFyDo.com is the one stop solution. eFyDo.com account helps the patient to maintain their records online, which means no more carrying half a dozen files to the doctor's office. 

It is also a win win situation for doctors as they don't have to wait for the patient fumbling between pages of reports to find the correct one.

And that's not all...

Apart from scheduling doctor's appointments and maintaining records online, eFyDo.com has also brought yoga to its bouquet. One can now easily look for a yoga trainer online. What's more, customers can experience a virtual yoga studio online while sitting in the comfort of their homes.

So, if you are looking for hassle free healthcare, eFyDo.com is your personal health secretary!

I - A to Z Challenge - It's tough to keep pace

I signed up for A to Z Challenge without racking my brain much. But now, its getting challenging. Balancing office, home, baby leaves little time for blogging, and often it is my sleep time which bears the burden. 

Perhaps it is the first time, that's why so challenging. Creating a repository of posts in advance and pre scheduling is my takeaway for next time.

But, hey! I also love the spontaneity of the whole thing and don't wanna make it predictable. Its fun to see my tired brain gathering some energy to write about something I have felt strongly that day. Apart from maintaining continuity, it brings some novelty and excitement in the daily routine.

I sincerely hope I am able to sail to the Z...

Its tough, but I ain't willing to give up!

I am writing for A to Z Challenge.

Save Nature & Nature Saves You

Mother nature, the one who nurtures us all,

In her lap we have grown big and tall

Threatened, abused, she lays bleeding

Press ctrl + save she is pleading

The path is tough, but lets not lose hope

Young and old let's join hands for there is scope

We can still save her & fight hazards away

For where there is a will, there is a way.

I was fortunate to have spent a childhood very close to mother nature, for my mother was a nature lover herself. Early mornings I would see her spending an hour in the garden, watering the plants, trimming worn out leaves and examining each plant. Being a child, I often got jealous and told her, "You love your plants more than me, seems you talk to them everyday like they are your children." She would laugh and tell me, "These plants are a part of our family. When you climb the Guava tree, don't you feel he is your buddy, playing with you? Just like we care for our family members, these plants too need our love and care."

Most importantly, she used to say something which has stayed with me,

"Save nature and nature saves you"

And so, right from recycling waste to planting tree on every birthday, my parents taught me to care for environment like one would care for their parents. 

Now that I am a mom myself, its time to pass the baton of wisdom to the next generation.

But, things aren't the same as they used to be when I was a child. Rising pollution levels in the metros force small children to wear masks to school. The depleting water resources sit like a time bomb. News reports of rising chemicals in foodstuffs scare me as a parent and I often fear if the food I am giving my child is laced with chemicals.

It is high time, we all take accountability of saving mother nature. By teaching our children these simple ways of protecting nature, we can surely make them better citizens of tomorrow.

Waste less and reuse more

Using products that can be recycled (glass instead of plastic bottles, cloth bags instead of plastic bags,  rechargeable batteries), we can minimise non biodegradable waste, saving our land from abuse. Simple habits like switching off the fans, lights and appliances when not in use can help minimise Carbon footprint. But, as adults we need to lead by example.

A plant a birthday

I loved this custom mom followed. In today's era of reducing spaces, this may be tough, but the world is our home and the parks always welcome more trees with open arms. The next time you take your kid for walk, the breeze in the garden and the fresh air will be nature's return gifts.

Reduce paper wastage

I still remember a classmate of mine, who used to fill her notebooks to the fullest. Often when others joked why she was being such a miser, she told them she was saving trees. By teaching our children to use papers left in old notebooks, print on both sides of paper and use recycled paper, we can partner in saving trees.

Value of fresh water

By making small changes in our daily routine, we can teach kids to conserve fresh water resources, which are depleting at an alarming pace. Recycling water in garden, using bucket instead of showers and keeping tap closed while brushing teeth are small drops in the ocean.

Inspiration & visits

Visits to places like Rock Garden and nature parks can be great source of inspiration for children, becoming the perfect "fun and learn" moments. Children are great observers and pick up good habits easily for life.

All this would make no sense until we don't practice what we preach, for a wise man once said, "Children learn from who you are, than what you teach."

I’m blogging about how I’ll remind kids to press Ctrl+S for nature for the Shortcut Safaari weekend activity at BlogAdda

H: Happy Birthday : A to Z Challenge

I was in deep sleep when the ring of my cellphone woke me up with a start. It was midnight and for a second I was shocked to see my niece calling me at that hour. "Happy Birthday to you" she sang, reminding me that my special day had arrived. 

As a kid, I was so obsessed with being wished that the moment the clock struck 12, I would start singing "Happy Birthday" for myself. On my birthday mornings, I would wait like a puppy till each family member wished me Happy Birthday atlas 2-3 times! Back then I loved the excitement and the special treatment for a day.

But with years, the excitement to hear the golden words, "Happy Birthday" vanished in time!

Happy Birthday calls at 12 now surprise me and somewhat irritate too if they don't finish within 1-2 minutes. 

Did I ever imagine that adulthood would change my preferences to a "quite little birthday!"

Childhood - you are history.

This post is written for A to Z Challenge

G : Games : A to Z Challenge

I loved playing games as a kid, hide n seek being my favourite. The moment clock struck 4, my friends used to get together to play. Mom would often be engrossed in her afternoon siesta by then and never needed an alarm to wake up. For the shrill voices of my friends calling me to play were good enough to wake her up. 

Summer vacations were bonus time as we got time to play a variety of games, often indoors due to the sultry heat. Come vacations and our scrabble and monopoly boxes would see the light. 

I was addicted to Badminton and often even missed my meals for a good match. I remember several times during vacations, mom used to call me home and finally come sometimes at 11 in the night to scold me and take me back home! 

Games taught us early a lot about team spirit and sportsmanship. Each one of us wanted to lead the group, so there were frequent fights, red faces, boycotts and then after few days, things would be back to normal.

Much better than the games elders play...

Which were your favourite games as a child?

This post is written for A to Z Challenge

F : Fears : A to Z Challenge

We all hide them, deny them and secretly make every effort to wipe them out of their lives. But they do exist. Within each one of us.

Fears...

It is often said that fears are best dealt by facing them eye to eye. But it is easier said than done.

As a child I used to love dogs. Until one unfortunate day, I became the victim of a dog bite while returning from school. Call it the over excitement of a seven year old, or simple bad luck. I spotted three lovely white puppies in a drain near my house and immediately dashed to hold them. As I approached them for some playtime, something black pounced on me. Within a fraction of a second, I turned and ran for my life, freeing my leg of something which held it for a moment. I was safe, I thought when the watchman asked me if it was paining a lot. "Why would it pain?" I was wondering when I saw blood oozing out of my leg. The protective mom of the pups had successfully taken her revenge by digging her paw and 2 teeth in my calf muscles!

It was then that I felt the power of fear...

My ears suddenly felt hot; the vision was blurred by tears and all I wanted was the security of my mom's hug. But fears are communicable. Mom's condition was wore than me upon seeing me in that condition. As a mother now I can understand her fears and trauma.

Of course, time and anti rabies shots healed the wounds. But one thing they couldn't heal was my fear of stray dogs. I felt scared to go anywhere alone fearing a dog would come from somewhere and attack me. I wanted to be accompanied everywhere.

It took a lot of time and hard work for my family to get me over this fear. The arrival of my pet dog eventually helped me overcome my fear. But, till now whenever I see a stray dog chasing me, for a moment I go into flashback.

Its human to have fears. Accept them and face them eye to eye.

This post is written as a part of A to Z Challenge.

E : Expectations : A to Z Challenge

If there were no expectations, perhaps world would be a much happier place. Doing what we do and moving on would let us be at much more peace. Easier it is to fall for the forbidden fruit of eagerness and expectations than detaching oneself from the outcomes. But, if expectations were to die, so would motivations. It is a tightrope walk then, expecting just enough to keep us motivated but not be blinded by the attachment to results. 

This verse says it all...

This post is written as a part of A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge

D : Doctors : A to Z Challenge

In the past 1.5 years, I have interacted with doctors more than ever before in my life. Nine months of pregnancy saw me visiting my Gynaec's clinic like one would visit a close friend. In fact, knowing my history of feelings for doctors, Mr. Hubby began to make fun of me that the baby has transformed me into a Braveheart. As you would have guessed, I HATE doctor visits since I was a kid. As if, the smell of disinfectant and the sad faces of patients waiting were not enough, the expressions on the doctor's face made up for the rest. Often, my visits used to feel like a court hearing. I would blabber out every detail and the doctor would  keep jotting down something. Then, came the worst part, waiting for the judgement and praying to lord to save me from the torture of an injection or a bitter syrup. The doc would keep me waiting and jot down something endlessly in a handwriting I dunno how even the Chemist understood. No matter how much I tried to stay calm, the BP shot up in the waiting queue itself. In fact, once I jokingly invited the doc for tea to witness how good my BP was at home! 

As the D day (delivery) drew near, my doc transformed into God or so I was made to believe by my family. Throughout my pregnancy, I used to pester my doc with a long list of questions after her bit was done, adamant on having a normal delivery. But, towards the end of pregnancy, I felt like a helpless soul having to believe whatever the doctor said. 

"It is a matter of just few days",  I thought. But the only thing changed post delivery was the change of queue. I was now much more regular at the paediatrician's clinic bang opposite to my gynaec's, for being a new mom, I would not want to take chance for the slightest of issues.

And that's when I began to wonder, "does one trust the doctor blindly?"

Of course, in case we aren't qualified medical practitioners, we have no option but to nod our head in affirmation to all the tests, shots, diagnosis that we are advised. However, the bug of commercialisation hasn't spared this noble profession. Try visiting a doctor for the smallest of ailments and the first thing s/he will ask you is to undergo a battery of tests, often at a centre of their recommendation. "Its just a test" one wonders, there is no harm in diagnosis and often go for tests that were not even warranted in the first place. The deal becomes more lucrative for them if a baby is involved, for no parent would like to take chance. And if you question, the winning argument is "Lets rule out everything". Yes, we should rule out all doubts, by taking second opinions.

This post is written as a part of April A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge. 

C:Comic- A to Z Challenge

The reason why I got a lot of scolding from mom during exams was surprisingly not studies. It was comics. Yes, I was addicted to comics like a dopier is to dope. My addiction would be at its best during exams, for the colorful pages and happy faces transported me to a different world, free of exam stress, fears and failures. Every comic tells a happy story. However, being a concerned parent, mom used to be worried for my career, so she often made me swear not to touch comics till the exams were over! I used to be tempted to hide the comic in my textbooks and finish the story, but the guilt of breaking a swear and the fear of ranking low in class successfully kept me away from comics.

However, as soon as the last exam would be over, comics and I would embrace each other like long lost lovers and we would spend nights happily in each other's company.

Comics also taught me the art of networking & negotiating very early in life!

A boy in our neighborhood had a enviable collection of comics and used to organize a paid library during summer holidays. Paying for so many comics was totally our of question. But, then I found a weak link. This guy liked my hulla hoop and his mom never got him one, considering it to be a very girlie thing. So I negotiated the perfect barter. I would let him play with my hulla hoop and he let me read comics for free.

And that was not all...

There was a magazine stand next to the flour mill in the local market. Once, while waiting with my brother for the flour to be done, I picked up a comic, thinking I will pretend to check it out and the shopkeeper would think I will buy, but I will quickly switch to another one. However, once I opened the comic, I got so immersed in it that I lost track of time. Thankfully, the shopkeeper was a nice guy and a comic lover himself. "Why don't you grab a chair and read?"he said and offered me a chair. 

I was all smiles, thinking "Goodness still prevails"

Here are some of my favorite comics.

What are your comic memories & which are your favorite comics?

This post is written for #atozchallenge.

To the Mowgli in all of us

When I was expecting my son last year, there was one piece of advice almost everyone showered on me. To read, listen and watch stuff that the baby would enjoy. As I wondered what shows/movies to watch, the first name that came to my mind was none other than "The Jungle Book"

Every evening, Mr. Hubby and I would leisurely watch Jungle book episodes and I would go back to my childhood.

As all children of the 80's and 90's would agree, Jungle Book had a very important role to play in our childhood. Not even a single child would be seen outdoors at 10am on Sundays as all of them would be glued to their TV sets watching Jungle Book. So much was the craze that once when a classmate of mine got a pencil box with Mowgli printed on it, the entire class went in a frenzy to buy similar pencil box!

What was so special about a simple tale of a jungle, a human baby and animals that it is still engraved in our hearts and minds?

The first thought that comes to my mind is the song, "Jungle Jungle Pataa Chala hai, Chaddi pehenke phool khilaa hai" and the smiling faces of Mowgli, Bagheera, Baloo, Pappu, Ka and others. I must confess, the title song has such emotional value for me that often when my 9 month old son has trouble falling asleep, I hum this song and rock him to sleep.

Jungle Book is not just a story. It is the story of our lives - of triumphs and failures; of loyalty and deceit; of friendship and animosity; of love and jealousy; of discipline and rebellion. Each character and each scene of Jungle Book resonates the songs of our lives. Perhaps thats why Jungle Book strikes the perfect chord and it was the perfect choice to have fun and at the same time refresh the lessons of life...

There is a Mowgli in all of us -

As a kid, the biggest reason which kept me hooked on to the Jungle Book was Mowgli. I could somehow relate to him on several instances. Like Mowgli, I too had my moments of mischief, fun with friends, rebellion, concern for my loved ones and aggression for anyone who dared to challenge me.

Family & friends

Jungle Book taught me very early in life, the importance of family and friends. Despite being a human, Mowgli was treated no different by his family and friends. Often, when I used to see Mowgli being pampered by his mom Chameli, I too used to become a small child and give my mom a bear hug! It is important to choose friends wisely, for good friends show us the correct path and stand by us in every situation, just like Bagheera, Baloo, Ka and Pappu! If you look around at your friends, you will always find a Bagheera who shows you the right path without being preach; a Baloo who may not be stylish but is the most sincere and sensible; a Ka who knows it all and a Pappu who is your follower!

Break the rules and face the music

Nobody could have taught this better than the Jungle Book. Time and again, we see repercussions of breaking rules of the Jungle. Be it crossing over to the forbidden side of the river, or ignoring the instructions of elders. My mom often made good use of this fact and often used to tell me, "see what happened to Mowgli when he didn't listen to his mom and went to the forbidden part of the Jungle. You too should listen to what mamma says!" and I would nod my head in affirmation. What an age of innocence it was!

Face your fears

Mowgli was the super hero who never shied from taking risks and faced his fears. Fears also remind me of a funny incident. In one of the episodes, I saw Baloo telling Mowgli the Mahamantra of Jungle "Hum ek hee vansh ke hain, tum aur main"(We are no different) and Mowgli successfully uses this mantra to drive away the wild dogs. Once when a stray dog got after me, instead of running away, I decided to use Mowgli's mantra. However, to my surprise, it had no impact on the dog. Fortunately an elderly uncle was passing by who shooed the dog away and saved me the torture of anti rabies shots!

Us before Me

The animals of the jungle were very particular about the safety of the Jungle. When the rivers dried up, all the animals collaborated to share resources and decided not to hunt till the water problem was resolved. Whereas we humans think of serving our individual interests first. I wonder why do we humans forget this lesson in times of crisis.

Loving our environment

I used to be in awe watching Mowgli using climbers to move from tree to tree in no time! While I could not find climbers to try my luck, Mowgli for sure was my inspiration to climb trees. From guava to Jamun to Mango I didn't leave a single tree despite often being attacked by angry red ants peacefully resting in the tree trunks!

As a parent, I feel there cannot be anything better than Jungle Book to teach your child the lessons of life without sounding preachy. I look forward to the day when my son grows up and I can watch Jungle Book with him and share my memories!

I’m blogging about #MyMowgliMemory at BlogAdda.

Jungle Book releases on April 8. Catch the movie and relive your memories! 

B: Birthday Memories – A to Z Challenge

“Why does my birthday come only once a year?” As a kid, I used to frequently pester my mom with this question. Being youngest of four children in my family, I was the most pampered one. So, that meant extra pampering on birthdays. The day used to begin with bear hugs & wishes from mom, papa and my siblings. In the days of exclusive landline phones, every phone ring would bring a sparkle in my eyes as family friends and relatives would call to extend their wishes. I never missed school on my birthday, for it was one day when I would be treated like a princess by my friends. Birthdays were an occasion to flaunt the new frock bought just especially for the day, since we were allowed to give school dress a miss for the day. As I would distribute gifts to the class who joyously sang “Happy Birthday” for me, I felt like the guest of honor. And yes, the Maths teacher was also super sweet to me that day!

Back home, everyone would be busy preparing for the evening party. I have fond memories of the invitations, cake, confetti, gifts, food, games, dance and lot of fun with friends! Of course, next morning would feel like a hangover, especially if I had school.

With time, my definition of birthday celebration too changed. From lavish parties, birthdays began to be all about a cool eat treat with friends, gifts of my choice from parents and a nice family dinner.

Few more years passed…

The huge transformation in my birthday celebrations came after I began working. Birthdays became a much more private affair. In fact, the same me who enjoyed the attention during school days would turn pink and get conscious when my team sang a loud “Happy Birthday” followed by wishes from the entire floor.

Often I think about the change and it surprises me. I guess we all mellow down with age and value quality to quantity.

What are your memories of birthday celebrations?

This post is written as a part of the April A to Z Challenge 2016. 

A brave attempt

For the past three days, I have been controlling my temptation to participate in the A to Z challenge. Often, I used to read posts and wonder, "I will participate when I have time." However, “When I have time” too is a very grey concept.

Finally, today I gave in to the temptation. Damyanti’s blog was a big motivator, for she had done a marvelous job of simplifying the whole process and providing all the information in one post. So, this evening, while I was on my way back home from work, the challenge was all that I was thinking of. 

I know writing a month’s post in advance is the key, for networking is a key factor here. This coupled with the daily pendulum between home, office and motherhood leaves me thirsty for me time. So, I take up the challenge today, more for giving myself few minutes of “me time” for a month, more than anything else. Whether or how much of it I can manage, only time will tell. But, isn’t it better to try and try rather than not trying at all? 

Book review – Raakshas – India’s No.1 Serial Killer

Author – Piyush Jha

Publisher – Westland

Genre – Fiction

Pages – 391

Price – Rs. 295

Sneak from the cover

This thrilling narrative of a serial killer’s life and the unusual and challenging investigation to catch him, uncovers a chilling trail of unspeakable torment and cruelty – the tale of Raakshas.

The Cover

Raakshas himself welcomes readers with his bloodshot eyes and his weapon of destruction. Look into his eyes and you will definitely think twice about reading the book, especially if you are beginning to read at night!

My View

Raakshas is a touching story of an innocent boy who is forced by circumstances to become a psychopath killer. One doesn’t get to know his real name, so I will call him R. Labelled a killer at birth and blamed for his mother’s death merely marked the beginning of his life’s atrocities. There was still a lot more to come. A harrowing time with his father followed next. Brahmanand, who saw his son as a mere distraction to his ongoing research, was the major culprit in spoiling his son’s life. After all, it is the parents’ responsibility to provide an environment conducive to the child’s holistic development. The first few pages brought tears into my eyes. “How can a father be so cruel to his own son?” I kept wondering. But then, haven’t we heard stories of scientists who lost it in pursuit of their impossible inventions? The little boy’s perseverance however, impresses us throughout. Gifted with an amazingly sharp brain, the boy had it all in him to become a genius.

But, destiny had different plan for him. After months of inhuman treatment by his father, destiny gave R a chance to escape his father’s den and be united with the only mother figure to him in the big, bad world – his maternal aunt Latika. Little did he realise that the journey to his aunt’s place would instead take him to the path of being a serial killer.

On his way to his aunt’s place, little R got kidnapped by a baba, a serial killer himself. It was the years of captivity, being baba’s assistant in his heinous crimes that transformed the boy into a serial killer. Throughout the years of captivity, R just dreamt of escaping Baba’s clutches and being reunited with his aunt. Sadly, by the time this happened, his soul had already become a personification of evil.

What followed next was a story that could shake the reader to the core. One after another, the tales of his heinous crimes gave me goose bumps.

The story has a very strong message - A serial killer is not born but is made.

Almost parallel runs the story of a girl, as intelligent as R but much favored by her destiny. An event in her adolescence which could have spoiled her life forever instead became her biggest strength. The girl went on to become a super cop, which brings us our second message – We are what we choose to become, not what circumstances want us to be.

The book also highlights the side effects of a practice rampant these days – of media highlighting and exaggerating every little piece of information. Had the media not come up with a silly idea of “ranking of serial killers”, many lives could have been saved.

Grab the book, for Raakshas isn’t a book about nabbing yet another serial killer on a killing spree. It goes a step beyond and portrays all that goes around in the minds of serial killers, their fears, triggers, emotions and motivations – the face of devil inside. The parallel tracks of the lady cop and R give the story an interesting “Yin and Yang” touch.

What I loved about the book

Everything, for the story has the power to leave an impact on its readers. Being my first crime thriller I was quite hesitant but the book kept my hooked on until I didn’t finish the last page. As I was glued to the book, the courier boy and a plumber who visited my house were welcomed with my suspicious eyes. Need I say more?

What could have been better?

Many aspects of the lady cop seemed too good to be true and exaggerated to give her a heroic stature.

My rating

4/5

About the Author

Piyush Jha is an acclaimed film director, ad filmmaker and author of bestselling crime fiction novels. His films Chalo America, King Of Bollywood and Sikandar are noted for their unconventional subject matter. Currently working on a crime based TV show, Piyush’s earlier novels are Mumbaistan, Compass Box Killer and Anti Social Network.

This review is for Writers Melon 

Of Needles And Overcoming Fears

(This was published in Parentous)

Throughout my growing years, I teased my mom for one thing – whenever I would fall sick or be in pain, she would start crying. I remember once when a dog had bit me, on our way to the hospital, mom was crying more than me. She had heard how painful anti rabies injection was and she was scared about how I would tolerate the pain. As I joked that she looked more like the patient than me, she said, “You will understand my pain when you become a mother.”

Mom left me few years ago, but her words have echoed in my mind several times ever since I became a mother…

After my delivery, when my intravenous cannula was removed, I rejoiced thinking, “The pain is over!” Little did I know a new challenge awaited me – of witnessing my baby in pain during vaccination!

As the date for the next monthly vaccination drew near, anxiety gripped me...

The initial mandatory vaccines were administered by the pediatrician while I was still bed ridden. But, as the date for the next monthly vaccination drew near, anxiety gripped me. The mere thought of the needle pricking my baby’s soft skin and the imaginary sight of my little angel wincing in pain gave me goose bumps.

Continue Reading…

Basant Panchmi & School Memories

Like all new moms, I too have lost track of how days become weeks, and weeks months. When a festival is around the corner, my elder sister or my MIL act as reminders, suggesting the bare minimum rituals I should follow.

This morning, as sonny boy and I went to the park for our daily dose of Vitamin D, I was delighted to see a burst of yellow. Women dressed in yellow, yellow flowers shouting to be picked up at flowers, the familiar freshness in the air and Pandal with Ma Saraswati idol in the colony school – I didn’t take a moment to realize Basant Panchmi – Saraswati Puja is here!

While my family doesn’t practice any ritual as such, apart from wearing yellow and preparing sweet yellow pulav, Basant Panchmi occupies a very special place in my heart. Having spent 12 years in a Bengali dominated school; the festival has been a special occasion each year. After all, this was the only day in the year when we could wear the dress of our choice to school instead of the boring uniform! Unlike most kids who save the best dress for birthdays, girls in my school dressed their best on Basant Panchmi. The three day long celebrations provided us the much awaited break from classes, freedom to dress up as we liked, lot of fun, amazing Bengali sweets and bhog, and much needed blessings from Ma Saraswati before the final exams would haunt us!

A Day Before

A day before the festival, all eyes would be trained towards the school gate as we waited for Ma Saraswati idol to arrive. The moment we saw the tempo, we would leave everything and rush to the foyer. The entire school echoed with “Bolo bolo Saraswati Mai ki Jai” as we welcomed the goddess with flowers, songs and impromptu dance!

The festival

For us, this was the day of freedom, fun and festivities! Our usually over protective parents gave us the luxury of giving the school bus a miss. Instead, we girls took our sweet time to dress up our best and arrived at the school on our own, in groups. The security situation wasn’t as sorry as present, so the authorities let open the gates of the senior wings and one could enter and leave school premises at our own wish. For teenagers of a girl’s school, this was nothing short of living the college dream once a year! The senior girls would seize the opportunity to flaunt the best sarees and imitation jewellery, even as the eyes of senior teachers scrutinized the depth of their blouses! Best part would be the Pushpanjali time, when each one of us would pray to Ma for good marks and a bright career! Sounds of “Bolo bolo Saraswati Mai ki Jai” would fill the ramparts as those who waited for their turn took to dancing and singing! Wish we had mobile phones with cameras back then! The alumni also took this occasion to take blessings from Ma and thank teachers for shaping up their careers so well.

Morning gave way to the noon in no time and the aroma from the makeshift kitchen in the classroom signalled that the Bhog was ready. Our teachers displayed their culinary skills as they pampered us with the most delicious Bhog – the traditional Khichuri! After Bhog, we would dash to grab our boxes of Prasad which contained an assortment of the best Bengali sweets one could think of! 

Awwww! I miss my school!

As we progressed to senior classes, the later part of the noon became hangout time with friends at Connaught Place before we returned home.

Visarjan

This was a moment that came heavy on our hearts as the thoughts of Ma parting left us teary eyed. Moments after the tempo left the school premises, taking Ma away, we would keep looking at the gate with gloom. Then the teachers would lovingly ask us to return to our classes and be good students till Ma returned next year.

More than a decade after leaving school and more than a thousand kilometres away from school now, I still feel the fragrance of flowers and incense sticks afresh in my mind. As I recall those wonder years, I pray Ma Saraswati for blessing my little one with knowledge and creativity the way she has been generous to me.

To, the Goddess, the mother, and the power – Bolo bolo Saraswati mai ki Jai !!!

Sharing few pics of my visit to the Alma mater few years ago 

My Alma Mater

The Decor

Ma Saraswati

The lovely rangoli

Flowers in full bloom

Friends

Friends