The Clown

Image Credit: http://magpietales.blogspot.in

Have you seen the painted face?
Whose insides I could never trace
Camouflaged with red and white
Making us laugh with all his might.

Dark circles around his eyes
A result of bread-less night-cries
He does this job for a living
As he plays with the circus ring!

Every coin has the other side
To show the best he has well-tried
Our lives are not a shade different,
The flower with thorns also has a scent!

Written for Magpie Tales: mag 259

A toast to failures!

Birthday reminds me,
Lessening my years on earth,
How shorter life gets!

When asked the question,
Have you made the best of it?
I am not yet sure!

Do not laugh at me
I could not stand up at times
For things I wanted.

If you are okay
Of me being a loser,
And if you are one,

Sometime do stop by
At my favourite cafe
For a losers' toast!

Written for Haiku Horizons: "birthday"

The apple of my eye!

There is one thing that nobody can choose not to be influenced by – a well rested baby’s smiling face! Whoever comes across it has something to admire about it – either the gleaming smile of innocence or the chubby cheeks, rosy lips, the fairness of skin or just the plain curious look of a baby. Every baby fills the air with infectious merriness and you cannot help but become a part of it. It is needless to state that a happy baby creates a happy environment.

As I mentioned, this can be possible only if the baby is healthy and well rested. The key is a good night’s sleep. And the things it does before sleep.

The following are the bedtime rituals I follow to put my baby to sleep:

Diapers

First things first, I change the diapers so that the baby does not wake up abruptly from sleep, when its pants are wet. This buys me some time to check back on the baby’s pants every once in a while during the nights so that the baby’s cry does not ring as an alarm to me and the wetness does not upset the baby’s sleep too.

Clean bed

I lay out clean sheets of blanket in multiple layers, preferably cotton that is soft and light. Cotton is easy to clean and is a natural fibre. Anything natural is always safe, gentle and non-allergic to a delicate baby skin.

Darkness

According to science, the prominent cues that a human body understands, before going to sleep, are light and darkness. It dictates the sleep rhythm/ cycle. Hence, it is very important to dim the lights before tucking the baby to sleep. I dull the lights out in my room as an important step for preparing my baby to sleep.

Rocking

A gentle rocking motion would lull my baby to sound sleep. I prefer my lap, this way the baby is very much in skin-contact with me and there is a good flow of affection and love. A baby that is unable to speak yet can always speak through a loving touch.

Music

I’m a good singer, though not capable of winning medals, I can sing decently. There is no living being on earth that does not love music. And surely, a baby does like a lullaby. I sing lullaby gently and smilingly so that as my baby dozes off to sleep slowly and steadily, it looks at me and feels the motherly warmth of love as it gradually blinks its eyes with the rocking motion. I love the sight of it!

Bedtime routine

Last but not the least, it is very crucial to have a regular timing for baby’s sleep. Doing the same relaxing things every night, makes the baby pick up cues that it is bed-time. It would not be too long before my baby is sound asleep.

Do check out the link https://www.rewardme.in/tag/Pampers for more tips on babies' growing up.

Written for Indiblogger.in Happy Hours. 

Eerie

Image Credit: http://magpietales.blogspot.in

Eerie silence filled the room
The floor was dingy and damp
Creepy darkness would soon loom
As I floundered in the swamp.

There appeared a face pale and white
I wanted to let out a shrill cry
I wanted to put up a hard bloody fight
But only a gasp escaped, hard I might try.

I woke up to irate rappings on the door,
It was 7 AM on a Monday morning
I had to return to mundane chore
As I heard my livid alarm ring!

Written for Magpie Tales: mag 258

Open

She had left the door open.
Her grief would be avenged by the distraught look on his face - her husband who had blatantly tortured her and her children for his own desires and financial avarice for years.
Her children were dangling breathless by the noose, she had tied herself.
She remembered for one last time how they were once happily married with children, until she stopped believing that there was such a thing called 'happily ever afters'.
She fastened the noose and in a moment she left, to never return.

Written for Lillie McFerrin Writes - Open.

Spark

I heard that laughter
I saw that spark in your eyes
It filled the whole room.

This was the reason
I would live for everyday
And also would die for.

I knew then for sure
I wanted to be with you
Yours and forever.

Written for Haiku Horizons: "spark"

Caught in action

Image credit: Action Figures by Edith Vonnegut

We rummaged for toys

When everyone was gone

Three naughty little boys

Ready to play in the lawn.

We suddenly heard a car,

Being parked outside the house.

We thought our parents were far

While Kitty could find a mouse.

We had to scurry and hurry,

Keeping things back in place.

Making sure to silence the flurry,

And as they enter, to straighten our face!

Written for Magpie Tales: mag 257

Point

No respect for mom
She was just a teenager
Point to be noted.

Written for Haiku Horizons: "point"

Villainous

He gave her a villainous look as she tried to wriggle free. She was puny and could not muster her strength against his cavernous body. She was returning to her home back from work, like any other day. Conversing on a call, she had caught a nearby taxi, without noticing the lustful whistles of the driver. As he pulled over the vehicle in a deserted road, and caught hold of her, she jabbed his stomach with a knife before she was a victim.

Written for Lillie McFerrin Writes - Villainous.

Book Review - Ramayana: The Game of Life

Book: Ramayana: The Game of Life - Shattered Dreams, Book 2

Author: Shubha Vilas

Genre: Mythology

Pages:  387

Price: Rs.350

Publication: Jaico Publishing House

Image credit: Google

Being brought up in an orthodox family, it is with great revereance that we look upon Ramyana and Mahabharata, the oldest and great relics in Indian history. As an aficianado of these relics, I feel proud to belong to a country that witnessed the epoch of Ramayana and Mahabharatha. They are not just stories, they are the basis of dharma or principles one should follow to be a responsible and civilized citizen. And fortunately, many thanks to Sri Shubha Vilas and the like-minded people, we still have many propogating the importance of these valuable assets of mankind.

The author

Speaking of Sri Shubha Vilas, I first speculated the author to be a female. As I read on, it dawned on me that he is a male spiritual seeker and a teacher as well. He also interacts with youth about human values which is noteworthy. In these decadent days, when education has failed to fill morality in youth and society has let go of principles, it is gratifying to know that there are some pillars trying to bring the society back to balance.

The story

The story begins with Dasharatha’s nightmare in his sleep where Time and Past chases him and grips him. He is in a hurry to crown Lord Rama as the King of Ayodhya as he gets senile and considers Lord Rama as an able man with kingship qualities. As Dasharatha recalls his past glory of being named Dasharatha from Nemi, for being able to ride his chariot in ten different directions while killing Sambarasura, he enters a special convention in his court. He declares Lord Rama as his successor. In the wake of the happy news spreading throughout Ayodhya, Manthara is unhappy. She tries to infiltrate Keikeyi’s mind with evil thoughts of making her own son Bharatha as the King so that she can enjoy as a queen-mother and of sending Rama to an exile for 14 years. Keikeyi being Bharatha’s mother, looks upon Rama (Kaushalya’s son), Lakshmana (Sumitra’s son), Shatrughna (Sumitra’s son) as her own sons and refuses to give in to Manthara’s advice. Manthara succeeds in churning Keikeyi’s mind and makes Keikeyi ask Dasaratha for two wishes, which Dasaratha had promised to grant while marrying her. Keikeyi makes her first wish of making Bharatha as the King of Ayodhya and the second wish of sending Rama to forest in exile for 14 years. This broke Dasaratha’s heart and with reluctance and wailing he informs Rama about the same. Rama, without hesitating, accepts the orders of the King as his responsibility to keep up his father’s promises and leaves Ayodhya accompanied by wife Sita and brother Lakshmana. Bharatha residing in Kekeya, oblivious of the news, gets to know about Ayodhya’s anarchy and returns to Ayodhya with a heavy heart. He pledges to find Rama and bring him back to Ayodhya and sets on a journey to the forest. He meets Rama through the help of Guha and Bharadwaja muni and pleads with him to return to Ayodhya. Rama, unshaken in his promise, sends away Bharatha to rule Ayodhya. Bharatha carries Rama’s sandals on his head to place them on the throne and rule Ayodhya on his behalf. The story ends with Rama and Sita leaving Chitrakoota and meeting great saints, sages like Atri and Anusuya.

The book

Dislikes

As much as I would like to say that the book is a good attempt at narrating Ramayana, I would regret to say that the book lacked continuity and consistency at many places. With the start of the book, It is unrealistic to imagine Time and Past to be some bodily entities to be chasing a man for the reader. The narration lost the flow in between. For example, the narration of Kartivirya and Ravana becoming friends with each other and the role of Sage Paulatsya. I was lost there. Also, Narada flying over Ravana’s mansions is beckoned to visit Ravana. Ensuing few conversations, the author suddenly states that Ravana was flying towards Narada in Pushpaka Vimana. Narada’s position was still that of a teacher and Ravana’s that of a teacher. And by postion what does it mean? Physical postions? If yes, why is Ravana flying? Poor editing of the book also gave way to grammatical mistakes.

The English vocabulary of the author is good. However, for a mythological book to be effective, it is always great to read the book in the reader’s mother-tongue because the pronunciation in English is not as distinct as the same in Sanskrit, Kannada or other languages. For example, Pushpaka Vimana can be pronounced as Puspaka Vimana, Puspaka Vimaana, Pushpaka Vimana etc.

The book emphasizes more on conversations and poetic descriptions rather than the story itself. One of the notes describes ‘jnaana’ as science and ‘vignaana’ as apllication of science, which is not true. ‘Vijnaana’ is science at a greater depth and ‘tantrajnaana’ is application of science.

There was no connecting link between how Lakshmana and Rama in exile came to know about Manthara’s conspiracy when the death of their own father was not known to them. It fails to take the reader along with the story.

Likes

However, it was delighting to read about the sub-stories like how the peacock got its plumage with multiple colours and Indra’s eyes imprinted on them, the achievements of Ansuya and Atri, Ugrasravas, Shilavati, Mandavya muni and the plot of the demi-gods and Goddess Saraswati in sending Rama on exile.
The transition from reality to the past of Nemi while narrating why he came to be known as Dasaratha added charm to the narration.

The book has notes on almost every page in small print at the end. At some places, these notes serve as a great help especially when they explain the relevance of the story to current life. They answer questions like how is Ramayana relevant in current times too? In what situations can the principles be applied? The comparison of metal and mental detectors was good in the context of Dasagriva stealing Pushpaka Vimana from Kubera and riding it.

To a commoner, the author has provided good clarification on the facts about Gods and Goddesses. For example, the testing of Anasuya was used to just reveal the true glory of Anasuya and it was not to test the principle of pativrata dharma itself. How Keikeyi was not the true source of Rama’s exile, and how Rama’s exile was a plot by demi-gods and Goddess Saraswati. The notes also describe multiple meanings of the same scenario. For example, while Bharatha took pudukes back to Ayodhya, it was the padukes whick took Bharath back to Ayodhya.

Rating:  3 stars

Verdict: I had more expectations from this book. It can be read once but definitely not worth Rs.350.

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

Being a mommy!

It was bedtime again. As the dusk melted into the darkness of night, she tried to rest. The hope of a peaceful, quieter next day lingered as she made her bed. She crashed down as her sinews and bones cracked relieving the day's strain. Not knowing all the while that plans change, just then she heard her little one wake up and cry!

Written for Lillie McFerrin Writes -Bedtime.

Why?

Image Credit: http://magpietales.blogspot.in/

I wish I could remember that enchanting evening vividly! I was so binged on alcohol that images had started to loom and float away as the evening ended. I remember the guests dancing to a pop-tune that I cherished the most. That one evening, I was nobody's wife, nobody's daughter, nobody's mother, nobody's daughter-in-law.

Actually, when I look back and think of it, I was nobody that one evening. And that feeling made me happy! Life seemed almost prim and perfect. It never had been that way! We tittered, we sang, we danced, we laughed, we grinned. The thought that we had to pick up the pieces of our lives back again and start afresh the next day didn't bother me at all!

Why did it make me feel so better? This need to be with the others. This connection with the others, forgetting who we are!

Why?

Written for Magpie Tales: mag 256

Free

Hello Gravity!
Letting go of all the strings
I want to fly free!

Written for Haiku Horizons: "free"

Quikr getting quickest!

Quikr.com is a website that provides a platform for a seller to sell his products and a buyer to buy his products. With its arrival, buying and selling of products, old or new, used or unused, have been revolutionized. Not to mention that it has made the process much more easier, it has also saved much time and fuss for people. From products related home and lifestyle to life-changing services such as matrimonial, Quikr has influenced lives in myriad ways.

Now, what’s new? Quikr.com has come up with a new idea of connecting the buyers and sellers through a chat facility – Quikr NXT. Human intervention is being reduced in many transactions to avoid middle-men, fraud and unnecessary incidences. When Quikr.com is a perfect example of it, it is further re-modelling the process through Quikr NXT chat facility. Thanks to technology, and many thanks to Quikr, the following can be the advantages of using a chat over the previous facility of phone call transactions.

1. Communication with privacy and safety (woman-friendly)

Generally, we are always afraid of revealing too much information to a stranger. A stranger is always watched for doing any harm to us, especially when they are meant for a short-term businesses like selling or buying. We want the business to be over in a professional manner. Here, a chat can help just keep business as business. Without revealing personal identity such as phone number, facial identity, residential address, a transaction can be completed without much ado. This can help us block off unwanted people from getting to know our phone numbers. Clearly, a transaction is ended when it is ended.

An annoying seller/buyer can be easily blocked off on a chat to avoid unnecessary disturbances without affecting our life. Whereas, a ringing phone can be a disturbance during important times of our days. With increasing crimes against women in the current days, chat is the best available secure option where a woman can feel comfortable without revealing her personal details.

2. Ease of communication
 
Availability of a person on phone can be variable in a day. A person available in the morning may not be available during another time of the day. Chatting helps leave a message for the person any time of a day so that the other person can check it whenever he is online. And he can inform the other person when he can be next available in cases that require any discussion. Otherwise there is always room for exchanging information at the convenience of their own times.

Two strangers who are not comfortable talking face-to-face are always comfortable on a chat.

3. Record of everything without paper and hence eco-friendly

There is always a record of everything a buyer and a seller have to share such as product specifications, product description, picture/video of a product. This can reduce fraud transactions and keep fraudsters at a risk of being caught and punished.

With e-governance invading every aspect of life, a warranty/guarantee form or a product form can be easily filled out online without paper exchange. An invoice of the product can be generated in e-format and sent to the customer on chat. 

Written for Indiblogger.in Happy Hours.