Friday, May 31, 2013

Tum Tak song from Ranjhna...What a reaction!!




This is a nice song from the movie Ranjhna. And what a reaction by Dhanush after a hard slap!! Have you seen anyone reacting like this after getting a hard slap? I haven't. And I so like watching this video!!






Wednesday, May 29, 2013

let’s say Good bye , for a change





Heated arguments
Blaming each other, let’s say
Good bye, for a change


Fresh air of freedom
Following your own dreams and
Desires, for a change



      Poetry Jam
      Poets United
            Theme Thursday
             Haiku My Heart

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Health is happiness





Float in the ocean
Of peace, live your life stress-free
Health is happiness!


Health is bliss! Health is a blessing. Regular rounds to the hospitals shatter peace and wealth. Ask them who are trapped in the whirlwind of unhealthiness....

     Poets United


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Monday, May 20, 2013

The diary of a social butterfly: by Moni Mohsin





This is my first book by Moni Mohsin. "The diary of a social butterfly" published by Random House India, is a diary of butterfly, a wealthy so called socialite of Pakistan. She calls her husband Janoo (Sometimes Boodhi Rooh! And she is so gay, so gay keh koi hisaab nahin...) and mother-in-law Old Bag. She doesn't care what happens in her country or world. She is just interested in fashion, parties, GT (Oho, get together aur kya?) and her horrible (Wrong and  misspelled words) Hinglish.

If you talk about story, there is no story. It's a series of random diary entries. Actually, this is a collection of weekly columns written by the author for Friday Times, Lahore.

I've read some fabulous review of this book and that's why I decided to read this. Especially, the 'hilarious' term used for this book attracted me. But unfortunately, I didn't find it hilarious. Of course, butterfly's Hinglish is amusing but it becomes monotonous and sometimes disturbing later on due to lack of proper plot and any twists and turns.

Writing style is very light but it's too light to talk about. You have to bear with horrible English, eg. I've chup karaoed everybody, Dior ka saddle bag must hai for me, Aik tau they have also become kaamchor, God safe me from family, deer departeds and many more.... thanks to butterfly's strong desire to speak English! And since it's her diary, the book is full of this language!!

The book cover is nice! Every entry is very short that makes it an easy and quick read.

It can be interesting for weekly columns but it doesn't seem like a novel as there is no continuity. You read it from anywhere and you won't feel like missing something. If you are a person who gets amused by every little thing, it will be a fun read for you but for me, it was an average read. Not so interesting and definitely not hilarious.

I received this book from Random Reads for an honest review. Thanks Rukun!





Sunday, May 19, 2013

Carnival of delight





Oh! I so want to erase
Those dark memories
Make my days smile with
Less worries

Ah! Those carnival of delight
Everywhere I see
Why can't those lovely moments
Fill my life with glee

I wish to have a little piece of sky
Suffused with the colours of rainbow
Golden sunshine, enlivening rain
Mellow breeze, all in a row!


Shared @ Poets United

Friday, May 17, 2013

The joy of motherhood!




Recently, Angelina Jolie underwent breast surgery called double mastectomy, in which surgeons remove the tissues of breast and insert fillers to keep the elasticity, to protect herself from breast cancer.

Angelina Jolie's mother had breast cancer and she died of ovarian cancer. Angelina Jolie carries the BRCA1 gene that puts her at high risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. She says, she doesn't want her children to live without their mother like she did. It’s the modern healthcare techniques that helped her to retain the joy of motherhood without any anxiety.

Becoming a mother is a very common phenomenon of the world. But ask those women who are deprived of this pleasure! Or those who struggle to attain this most prized designation. Recently, I met two new moms. I was surprised to see them, pleasantly though. Sarita was about fifty and Kalawati, fifty plus!

In 19 years of married life, Sarita tried hard to conceive but couldn't taste the sweetness of motherhood. Kalawati’s story is more tragic. She was a proud mother of two children but she never imagined in her wildest dream that her fate could be so cruel. She lost both her children.

In both cases yearning for a child is quite obvious and justified. But modern medical era did not let them keep hankering.  Finally, both opted for IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). Through this technique, both Sarita and Kalawati are proud mothers of a girl and a boy child respectively. 

Unfortunately, both gave birth to premature babies. I'm startled to see the number of cases of premature delivery these days. A decade before survival of premature babies was a threat and tough challenge (It’s still a challenge in small towns.) but now days medical science has reached a level where you will be pleased to see premature babies survive and thrive.  Mothers at high risk of premature delivery are administered a course of steroids to prevent any respiratory problems in babies as they have underdeveloped lungs at that stage.

It’s so charming and delightful to see your child grow up like normal baby. What if a woman gives birth to a child who is differently able? Physically and mentally retarded, to be precise. Shyamli is a mother of nine year old boy. But she did not have the pleasure to see her son grow up like a normal child. He suffers from cerebral palsy and is unable to do anything.

Shyamli was very apprehensive about having another child. She was scared actually. Finally, after consulting many doctors and to fulfill her emotional satisfaction, Shyamli conceived after nine years. She and her husband were worried about the health of this upcoming child. Then the doctor suggested trimester screening to identify/detect the risk of any disorder in the child at the early stage. Thankfully, everything was normal. After the delivery, doctors said that everything is fine with the baby. Now Shyamli and her husband are enjoying the normal activities of their three months old baby.  A sliver of anxiety still resides in their hearts but they are hoping for the best.

Joy of motherhood is precious and it adds bliss and serenity to life. In my opinion, modern medical techniques have helped many want-to-be mothers attain and retain this greatest joy of life!


My entry for How does modern healthcare touch lives? contest (By Indiblogger) in association with Apollo Hospitals.




Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Dark Secrets...





Dark secrets
Peeping through the window of past
Give her shudders
She has left the bygones behind
New life seems like breath of fresh air

Floating in the waves of 
Beautiful dreams of future
She has got wings of joy

It may shake the peaceful present
She suspects
It may destroy her dignity
She fears
How long she can hide it
She wonders

Come what may
She can’t erase those secrets from her life
Indelible truth

Have the courage to face it
Let’s confess the reality
Her inner voice says
Maybe, her honesty can retain the harmony of her life


Written for: 100 words on Saturday 
                 Carry on Tuesday



Sunday, May 5, 2013

Precious slumber

After a tiring day
When twilight announces it's arrival
You hug me, you kiss me
Recite me lovely lullaby
And finally cosset me in your warm and cozy arms
Sense of serene calm envelops me
And I drift off to sleep
Floating in the waves of mesmerizing dreams

Some unpleasant trill
Jolts me suddenly
And you, my precious slumber, leave me in lurch
Annoyance sweeps over me 
 I look around, to see deep darkness stretched all over
Calling you desperately
But, you refuse to claim me for long
Breaking the golden chain of peace


Shared @ Poets United


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Friday, May 3, 2013

Dare to dream! : My entry for Chicken Soup Series


This is my entry for Chicken Soup for the Indian entrepreneurs soul


I was looking for a house help.

My mind took some time to register that she was my new maid. She wore jeans and top. Carried a mobile with an earphone. And she had a nice haircut.


Kajal was about twenty three. She worked nicely but it looked really weird and sometimes funny when she cleaned the floor wearing tight jeans. Or talked on earphone while washing utensils. I was puzzled why she worked as a maid?

“Do you work anywhere else as a house help?” I asked one day.

“Yes bhabhi, I work at one more place.” Kajal said washing the utensils. “If I won’t work, no one would give me a single meal.” She mumbled after a pause.

“Why?” I was startled to hear this.

“You know bhabhi, my mother had forcibly married me off with a mad man, six years back. My in-laws treated me like servant. All my married sister-in-laws lived there. I had to manage all the household chores single-handedly. No one helped me. I tried to adjust there but what about my happiness and desires?" She was saying in a flow and I was listening, feeling pity for her.

"So," She was not done yet. "I left my husband. That house. My mother forced me to stay there. But I Couldn't. Since then my mother hates me.When I returned back, my mother said she can’t bear my expenses and I had to earn. I’m not educated so there was no choice but work as a maid.”

“It’s okay. Work is work. We should not consider any work small.” I tried to lift her spirit. I had to admit that she was brave enough to take a bold step of getting out of an unwanted marriage. Even some educated women tend to stay in a bad marriage for the sake of their parents, sometimes children and above all society.

“But my dreams are big.” She said, arranging the plates. I said nothing and busied myself in some other work.

The other day, I was talking to my husband. I said I need to go to the parlor for facial and waxing. Next day, Kajal came to me after work and it seemed she wanted to say something.

“Do you want to say something?” I asked.

“Yes bhabhi. I can do facial and waxing. I charge less than parlors. Try me once. Don’t give me any money.” She said.

I was surprised. She was kidding or what. “How come you do facial and waxing?”

“I worked at Shalini didi’s place. She is a beautician and owns a parlor. I learned from her. Mostly by watching her work. I worked at her place for free. I helped her in the parlor for free. I don’t want to work as a maid whole life.” I recalled when she said “My dreams are big.”

She did my facial with absolute dedication and she indeed charged less than parlors. “Bhabhi…I’m good at eyebrows. Trust me. Shall I?” She asked with slight hesitation.

Generally, I’m very particular about my eyebrows and I don’t handover it to any random beautician. But I was surprised that I allowed her.  I noticed she was good at convincing.To my utter relief, she actually made a fine eyebrow.

“Kajal, are you expert in hair-cutting also.” I asked just like that.

“No bhabhi, I’m still learning. Get your hair done in a parlor. I won’t lie. I’m not good at it.” I liked her honesty.

“Why don’t you open your own parlor?” I asked one day.

“It needs money bhabhi.” She said smiling and I scolded myself for asking such a silly question. “You know bhabhi…” She continued. “Sometime back, I had started my own beauty parlor in partnership with one of my friends.”

I was listening with interest. “I put my money in it. We were new. We need to be patient but my friend gave up and we had to close the parlor. Too much money was wasted.” She said thoughtfully and I could not resist praising her insight inwardly.

Days went on. I was happy that I didn't need to go to the parlor, at least for regular facial, waxing and eyebrow.

One day she came very late in the morning. Actually it was close to afternoon when she arrived. I got really frustrated because we don’t have scope to waste time in the mornings.

“Why you have arrived so late Kajal?” I asked hiding my irritation.

“Actually, there’s a didi who called me for facial. I thought I can make some money.” She said sheepishly. I could sense a desire to work hard and earn. But my household chores are also important.

Gradually, it had become her habit. Bunking my work and go to earn money. Of course it was good for her but what about my work? 

“Why don’t you join a beauty parlor as a worker? You’ll learn and earn at the same time.” I said one day. If she doesn't have time for my work then better leave. I thought. I was really annoyed.

“No bhabhi. Now I don’t want to do a job. They don’t give nice salary and I will have to work according to their wish. I want to do something of my own. I know there are small works but I hope to make it big. I hope someday I get an order of bridal make-up or multiple works in marriages. Or maybe I can open my own parlor. Without any partnership this time.” She smiled. I liked her passion but my work was suffering. I sighed. Sigh of exasperation. Sigh of resignation. Getting a nice house-help is a tough task you know.

She repeated her vanishing act and late arrival quite often. She made some personal and family excuses. I couldn't say anything but I was getting frustrated. But she was soft spoken and worked nicely that I didn't want to be rude.

It was 12:30 p.m.and she was nowhere to be seen. One glance at loads of work, and my anger started to brew. Suddenly my phone buzzed. It was Kajal. This time I was prepared to vent my anger on her. As I picked up the phone, she started talking without giving me any chance to speak.

“Bhabhi, I won’t be able to come today.” She informed. ‘What a breaking news it is!.’ I thought irritably.

“Why!?”

“Someone has called me for facial. Three facials and waxing!" She was chirruping. "And you know bhabhi today in the evening I'm going for a bridal make-up with Shalini didi!  This wedding season I hope to earn good. It’s good, isn’t it?”

She was expecting me to be happy for her “Yes.” Don't know why but I didn't want to disappoint her. 

I looked at the heap of dirty utensils in the sink helplessly. But I smiled. I was happy that she was rising. She dared to dream, worked hard and she was approaching her big dream gradually.



I wish to get my story published in Chicken Soup for the Indian Entrepreneurs Soul in association with BlogAdda.com