What I would do this Summer!

In Chennai, there are only three seasons – Hot, Hotter and Hottest. Strike out Winter, Autumn and Spring. While the sun is scorching aggressively and there are no signs of rain showing its face even though weather forecasts at times jabber about those showers waiting to drench us with its kindness, I am sitting here alone, thinking what I could do to make this summer worthy although I know I can’t totally beat the summer. I have never been out ever since Agni Nakshatram, out of fear for the soaring temperatures and also finding it very annoying to go out alone. Considering how the condition of our environment is declining and deteriorating, someday, we would inherently have no other choice than to sit at home. Looks like I’m having a rehearsal for it. But total disaster, I suppose is still a long way, thanks to those associations and organizations striving to bring about a much greener world.  

I think I have deviated a bit. Cut to what to I would love to do this summer. Just as I long to have some quality get-away as to get a respite from the red giant, the mere thought that I am going to get a company to spend time outdoors, have fun, play volley ball and relax with a nice cold drink with a new friend renders a smile in my lips and a beam in my eyes. Yes, my new companion is Krya!

Know what, Krya is a Lakme girl, just like me. At this moment I should state that there has never been a day with me going out without a simple makeover with Lakme Magic Daily Wear Souffle. So, we both are Lakme girls, which by itself is an indication that we possess similar tastes! What else could be a better foundation for a blooming companionship?! Having said that, I need not explicitly mention that I would be more than happy to meet Krya, nurture a great friendship with her and of course, to roam around blithely.

I love meeting new people and as with any new friend, I would talk a lot – about my childhood, dreams, job, success, failures, future plans and everything. We would have an ideal day of sharing amidst all fun outside. I am also a good listener. I would pay attention to her talk keenly as she would share her set of experiences she had bumped into. One of my best interests just like anyone else to beat the heat is the beach. While we get along well, we would have a fantastic time at beach playing games as the chilly breeze whips ceaselessly. We would also gulp a whole lot of ice cream and chocolates thereby satiating our craving. And oh, shopping is also inviting! Inevitably, music and traveling a lot will also be in the cards. The plans and bliss would be endless, making this summer the best of all I have ever had!  

Subsequently, my dearest Rain, I will no longer pester you to visit us straight away, because, I am going to have unbeatably memorable day-outs with my new palJJ. Come lets go, Krya, my buddy, it’s time for us to enjoy the sunshine! Summer is calling!!

[This post is my entry for The Lakme Indiblogger Contest.   I Love Lakme ]
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Book Review: Murder in Amaravati

Murder in Amaravati - Penned by Sharath Komarraju. When I held the book in my hands and observed the impressive title and reddish cover page, a thought crossed simultaeneously as to how different and engaging is this book going to be? Would it be just another novel that I read in spite of its genre as a mysterious fiction? Any such fiction or the characters in it, as we know, would land in some sort of trouble and a hero identifying himself as a detective would emerge from nowhere, leading the case and solving it in a matter of time. I wondered to myself and questioned, "How would it distinguish itself from a flood of fictions available today? And how peculiar is its story going to be". While too many thoughts continued running in my mind, I noticed a moderen painting in front of my eyes. Yes, no surprise, it is the cover page. With Goddess Kali occupying the lower portion of the page, as you may see and an old iron lock with its key inserted showing up at the upper end while there are shots of blood everywhere around symbolizing the plot of the story, it was indeed a modern painting. Now I knew intutively, this is definitely going to amaze me!!

Here goes the theme and the important characters - Padmavati makes her living out of a profession that is the most looked down upon.. A village hostess. Amaravati, the village flourishes itself with the ever flowing, tranquille and refreshing river Krishna. Sitaraamaiah forms the headman of the village and is naturally an authoritative, demanding kind. There lies a huge tree protected respectfully by the inhabitants, underwhich the temple of Kali is constructed before ages. Krishna Sastri, the priest of this temple, is deeply religious, humbly unquestioning, trying incessantly to safeguard the principles of Hinduism. Any so-called sudra found in the temple premises is strictly unacceptable according to Hinduism and thus according to him, too. When his daugher elopes with a Harijan, he utters reasoning, "Permitting my daughter to marry a man of lower caste is never admittable, though I agree with loving everyone equally, which is a different case". And thus he chases his daugher out of his home, declaring her to be considered equivalent to dead, from then on. A rigourously religious person, he is. Also living in the village are Satyam and his wife Lakshmi, Shekar and Vaishnavi, his wife who play a vital role in the story. Kishore is the son of Sitaraamaiah who has a sister, once very lively, bound to a wheelchair ever since a tragic accident.

Once, the whole village gathers for a ceremony in the temple followed by a speech by the headman. The next morning, Padmavati is found dead at the pedastal, close to the feet of the Goddess. The crime is set. The suspense begins. Venkat Reddy, the village constable investigates such a case for the first time in his profession which makes him doubtful, confused and increasingly suspecting. He thinks wistfully if he would ever be considered a worthy detective. He opines, "Any crime results out of three - motive, means and opportunity". And here he sees seven suspects, seven motives and one murder. So how is the noose going to be released? The question persists perpetually, until the end of the book. Absolutely engaging one, in my opinion.

Every chapter impeccably holds your interest to identify the murderer as it beautifully navigates through the nature of the characters involved, the situations bringing about other situations as a chain and so on. To say it all in short, I didn't want to put the book down until I finished it. And I loved it so much that I wished it would never end! You become so immersed that you feel to be supposedly dwelling with these village-men in their village, admiring the Krishna as though you belong to this village! Taken to a new world, rather a village! Enigmatic story and its personalities to tie you up where you love getting fastened as you flip each page.

I loved it so much that I sat one whole day and finished reading it. And wait, I just couldn't help myself that I am going to read it again to have a second journey. The author, I should mention, has an excellent command over the language and how he describes the village, its inhabitants, the Krishna and the various twists in the story is praise-worthy. My best wishes to the author and expecting more from him ;) As such, I recommend that you make this book a part of your book-shelf and enjoy reading and re-reading it! Find yourself with the book and thus in a new isle for a cherishable reading experience.
[This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!]

  

Blank

Just a mundane post though I wanted to write about a lot. It has been quite a time since I sat down for a soulful writing but believe me, my time has been utterly worse. I wish to jot down my experiences with few people, equally good and bad and how I have been doing of late. Few of my acquaintances making me feel low with or without their talks, one friend lighting up my eyes and spirit with her good deeds and much more.. Also wanted to write on those incidents I had had months back with a lady who claims she is spiritually inclined while there are no signs of it in her normal doings. That only increased my irritation which is in other cases undeterminable is. With all these pending to be scribbled on my blog, I go blank all of a sudden which is probably 'coz my life has been strolling downhill these days. My bad!

Whatever I had planned and supposed would happen turned topsy-turvy. There is a constant feel now of being locked in a dark room with no way out or a helping hand. This is a sad phase that has drained me in and out. Rather, a blank phase wherein I am completely indecisive and in the worst case, not knowing what I want or what I should do. There are too many questions answerable by only time/God/destiny though there are people who genuinely care for me. So I choose to wait. Happy that I am able to atleast decide on this. Few years back, once I was telling my friend that I would soon come to a decision on my personal and professional life, on what I want from life or what I would do in life. It was like hitting my head hard when she responded, "Personal and professional - There are only two lives for anyone my dear". This phrase stuck a blow on me affecting me deeply 'coz in a sense it was true and I remained confused in both aspects. Years have crossed and the question still remains. No answers could be found by the insane me. Time must disclose its secret holdings someday or the other.

There was a post from a friend on his first wedding anniversary which made me wonder how fast time flies doing its job perfectly. Looks as if we just attended his wedding ceremony. Otherwise my blank state is perpetual and as soon as I turn ok, there would be my next post and I just anticipate that it isn't very far from now. Wishing myself a very good luck! I shall terminate this post with a quote that I always consider it is written FOR me by Dr.Weiss. As it goes, 'Patience and timing is very important. A life cannot be rushed, cannot be lived in a schedule as many people want to. Everything will come when it must come.' 

Few more letters published!

Few more published in Deccan Chronicle!