The Dandiya time #Navratri

India is considered to be a land of varied cultures, traditions, religions and heritage. Every Indian takes pride in stating that we that live in a country that respects everyone’s sentiments. Muslims,  Hindus, Christians,  Parsis, Jews,  Buddhists are alike and we live in apartments where one neighbor would be of a different religion and the other of another. Inspite of being a Christian, I light Diyas(lamps) outside my home every Diwali. For me Diwali is a festival of lights. I love the way every house is decorated with lamps on every nook and corner.

The reason why I began writing about the unity is diversity was because of a recent festival I participated in, last Saturday. It was my Mom’s birthday on Friday and invariantly I just needed a reason to go to my mother’s place in Pune. Mumbai(Where I live in) is just a 3 and a half hour drive to Pune which makes it all the more easier. My Husband and I drove down on Friday night to spend the evening with my mother and make her feel special.

She had informed me of a Dandiya Night that was supposed to be hosted in our society for which she had been practicing since a week. I was excited as it had been years since I had played Dandiya.

Dressed in my best attire, I joined the platoon that was dressed in bright coloured ghagra cholis. 

The show lasted for around two and a half hours and by the end of it I was exhausted. There were prizes for different age groups and those who were best dressed and danced the best were awarded. It was a public gathering and all of them were equally elated.

As I went back to sleep that day with soared feet, I thought of the evening. The way the festival had brought together people of different age groups under one single roof was marvelous. It was just another break from the monotonous life that we live in. Such kind of social gatherings and events attract people and this is something that keeps our country united. I felt proud. Isn't it great how people join hands to celebrate festivals? 

My Mom and Me.
 Copyright +Cynthia Vincent 

As for me, as the dandiya season is about to get over, I can’t wait for it to arrive next year.

I am a Write Tribe ProBlogger with a commitment to myself to write as frequently as I can.

#Five sentence Fiction - Commotion & Confusion!!

A five sentence fiction inspired by the prompt

"Confusion"

Lillie McFerrin Writes

*************

Hither and tither, it flew around creating a ruckus.

I jumped high and low, from sofa to chair.

I wished I had wings like it and shrunk in size to get inside every hole and pillar.

In confusion, I screamed pulling down every corner of the house.

After a long struggle, I managed to spring and catch it tight; it wriggled in my hands, the MOTH that was little and tiny.

*************

I am a Write Tribe ProBlogger with a commitment to myself to write as frequently as I can.

Last night in Venice ....#When I met a stranger.

Venice, one of the most romantic cities in the world and surprises you with every step you take. You will find yourself locked in a maze of similar looking streets and bridges. There are no traffic signals in this city and no automobiles as well. To talk about this fascinating city would require an entire blog post. But there was something else that has made Venice special for us. There was another incident that sunk in so deeply and will always be in our memories for years to come.

Copyright +Cynthia Vincent 

On the last night of our honeymoon to Italy, my husband and I had planned to attend a live Orchestra which is considered to be a shame if not witnessed while it Venice. We booked our tickets in the morning and after our visit to the great St. Mark's Cathedral and Doge's palace we walked to the place where the orchestra was supposed to be conducted. There was a huge queue standing outside since the gates hadn't opened yet. We joined to queue and waited for around 10 minutes. After a while, we found a couple standing in front of us who requested us to click a photo of theirs. I was busy in a phone call and my husband did the honours of clicking a picture. 

They thanked us and began a conversation by asking us where were we from. We told them that we were from India and we got to know that they were from the USA. They told us that they were touring Europe and it had been around three weeks since they were out of home. On telling them that we were on our honeymoon we got to know that John and Joanna were married for 6 years. We were surprised as it contradicted the assumption we have of Americans that they do not have long-term relationships. Thanks to the hollywood superhits that brief us on this subject n-number of times. 

Copyright +Cynthia Vincent 

The gates for the Orchestra had opened and we took our seats. For the first time, we had witnessed a live orchestra of 7 violinists. The Orchestra lasted for an hour and a half and left us swaying to its tune for even longer.

 As we began to leave the hall, John and Joanna came up to us and asked us if we wished to join them for dinner. We were overwhelmed. I always had a fetish to meet new people and get to know about them. Maybe it's the writer instinct in me that makes me inquisitive and curious. We walked into a small restaurant on  Campo Manin. 

We ordered food and since it was the finals of the Fifa world cup that day we were excited to hear the news as well. We talked about the different cultures we were brought up in. I realized that Joanna came from a very close knit family and both of them valued the relationships they shared with their parents. We found that our upbringing was nothing different. They spoke about how difficult the first year of their marriage was and advised us on making it an effort to work out the differences in married life that may arise after a period of time. 

Joanna spoke about her love for bollywood movies and how much she loved watching the dances on bollywood numbers. We told them about Mumbai and asked them to visit us soon. 

We spent an hour and a half talking and finally got up to leave as we had to catch the flight back to India the next day. As for them, they were heading towards Rome. On the way back to India, I realised that there was no other better way to end our honeymoon. We met a couple hail from a place (where we thought relationships are taken for granted) living together for so long and making it an effort to live in harmony. They were the best example for a newly married couple like us. Ever since we are back, there have been times when things may not have been the way it should be between my husband and me, but in those times I remember our friends John and Joanna and the example they set before us. 

Copyright @Cynthia Vincent

It's true that many a times we meet strangers to whom we are reluctant to open up, but when they become a part of our lives, they become so special. I still continue to message Joanna over facebook and we still continue to share our experiences. 

Wishing them the best in life always!! Love you guys and thank you so much for asking us to click your picture on the last evening in Venice. 

Copyright +Cynthia Vincent 

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

Red, Blue, Green, Yellow…. Shoot em’ all!! #Friday Fictioneers

“The red one, dad”, my son squeaked, bringing back all the memories that flooded deep within.

It had been a year since dad had left us and gone.

He had seen me become a father.

Today as I stand near the shooting balloons game on the beach, I think of him again.

PHOTO credits Copyright – Marie Gail Stratford

All the Saturday evenings that I spent playing this game with him flash before me.

It takes me to the day before he died. He had caught me drinking in depression. 

A promise he took from me and breathed his last. The balloons looked similar to stacked bottles. 

This is a 100 word fiction written for the Friday Fictioneers brought about by Rochelle Wisoff- Click here to read the prompt and here to read the other entries in the link-up.

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I am a Write Tribe ProBlogger with a commitment to write as frequently as I can.

Winter Bucket List!!

With the rainy season just passing by and leaving us with a few spells here and there it's time to welcome the season that brings with it serenity and tenderness. It's time to welcome Winter!!!

Winter has always been one of the most beautiful seasons of the year. There is a kind of feeling where emotions outplay you. It is that time of year where you find yourself luring into romantic sounds, you find yourself squeezing inside think blankets, when your mornings are nothing but a silent quarrel between you and your alarm clock and it is also that time of the year when the climate lets you fall in love with itself.

Winter always reminds me of Christmas. The carol singing, the crib decoration, Santa Clause, Stockings, gifts etc.

Following my fellow blogger Nabanita, I landed up on the link up activity on Fall Bucket List. Since, Winter is my favorite season I planned to put up my Winter Bucket List:

1. South Mumbai: I moved into Mumbai a couple of months back after my marriage and since then I havent had the time to explore south Bombay. I did visit Marine drive and Delhi Darbar :) but I wish to walk and explore the entire South Bombay on one weekend.

2. Cook from my heart: As I said in one of my previous posts, I never enjoyed cooking before my marriage, but now I do trying out stuff on weekends when I have time. So this is up on my list. I will try new recipes and ofcourse put it up on my blog too soon :)

3. Adapt in my new office: With marriage, there has been a lot of change that has come around in my life. One of which is I landed up working in a huge organization where I still haven't found proper friends and it is sickening to go to such a place everyday. I am going to try and make new friends and stop cribbing about this.

4. Fitness: Fitness is something that I have given up owing to the lack of time which supposedly is something I shouldn't be using as an excuse. I am planning to get back to working out as much as I can and planning to get back in shape.

5. Creating a small Garden: It has been on my checklist to create a small garden in my balcony with tiny pots where I can sit and enjoy the evenings by sipping a cup of hot Coffee in Winter. I hope to get that started soon.

6: Write and Write: Now that I have made it a point to write as much as I can, I wish to continue this with passion and determination.

There goes my list, Now if you have yours, why don't you put it up on your blog or drop them down in the comments section? Who knows it may motivate you to have a great Winter.....

I am a Write Tribe ProBlogger with a commitment to myself to write as frequently as I can.

#Proud Indian's post (MOM)

It makes me proud as an Indian to say that the Indian Space research Organization(ISRO), successfully sent Mangalyaan (MOM) into the Martian Orbit, making India the first Asian country and also the first in the world to have successfully acheived it in the maiden attempt. The brilliance and intelligence of Indian Scientists proves that out country is never behind in such massive operations. When I read the news paper this morning, I had goosebumps, I was proud that my country was making a mark and proving that this is just the beginning for many more acheivements like this.

As a tribute, I present a small Haiku,

Feet in red planet,

Intelligence and brilliance,

Mangalyaan in Mars.

The next Haiku is inspired by the prompt at Haiku Horizons, "SPACE". How we wish to run back to our homes everyday? How we wish to be aloof from the noise?

Away from Clamor

Tranquility at apex

I, Me and Myself

I am a Write Tribe ProBlogger with a commitment to myself to write as frequently as I can.

Gratitude is Great-Attitude!!

As we celebrated the World Gratitude day yesterday, I wanted to write a post on what gratitude means to me.

Gratitude is Great-Attitude!!

I would wrap up my entire ideology of gratitude in this single sentence of 4 words. Yes! That’s what gratitude means to me. Gratitude is one of the noblest attitudes a man can possess.

Courage: It takes courage to be grateful to people who go out of their ways to help you and make you feel special. All of us as humans have a big ego that we are born with and it takes grooming and a very good upbringing to break the ego and give importance to other people’s actions by being grateful to them.

Benevolent: Gratitude is an act of benevolence. It is being generous in saying those two words, “THANK YOU”. When was the last time you said a thank you to the auto driver who dropped you safely to work?

Practice: Just like it takes years to master any art like Yoga or Painting, being grateful is an art that is developed over the years. It is not something that you will achieve overnight. Start by saying a note of thanks to your maid when she goes out of her way at times to get things done for you.

Gratitude is one of the greatest attitudes that need courage, benevolence and practice to master it.

Day before yesterday one of my college professor’s had celebrated her birthday. I had called her in the evening to wish her and she was elated. She told me that one of her ex-students had come to visit her as a surprise and how special she had felt about it. She even said that the biggest happiness to her was how her students remember her and don’t forget to wish her. As for me, this was the best way I could be grateful to her for everything she had taught me in college and for the motivation she continues to give me.

On world Gratitude day,

• I am thankful for my family, my parents, my parents-in-law(my second parents), my husband, my brother, Dhivya(my sis-in-law), Cruz(her husband), all my closest relatives, my cousins who make the world a happy place to live in. I am thankful to God for having given me these people.
• I am thankful for Nitu, my strongest support and for always being there no matter what.
• I am thankful for Jude, who hates me saying thanks to him :P
• I am thankful for Arjun, for the words of advice that mean so much to me.
• I am thankful for Kavitha, Simi, Jocy to whom I endlessly rant and they are always there to hear me out.
• I am thankful for my closest friends Teresa, Roopa, Thomas, Globin and my Think Team back in Pune for being the best always.
• I am thankful for the gang of friends in Mumbai who helped me get accustomed to this city, Khatija, Akin, Neha Gulati and everyone in the gang.
• I am thankful for Sushma Aunty, Jobin and Subin for being a part of my life and for being my extended family.
•  I am thankful for Joanna Castro whom I met in Venice and for the lovely conversations that we have even today.
•  I am thankful for Geeta maam about whom I had mentioned above.
•  I am thankful for Write Tribe members who are ever motivating, who are an inspiration in helping me become a better writer.
•  I am thankful for my entire team of #Inspirati – Vidya, Abhyudaya, Vanya, Nikita, Sai, Bindu, Alok and Cifar.
• There are still a number of people whom I would like to be thankful for but the list would go and on.

Thank you- just two words that could brighten up someone’s day.

Who is the first person you are going to thank today????

This post is inpired by the prompt at Write Tribe.

I am a Write Tribe ProBlogger with a commitment to myself to write as frequently as I can.

#Inspirati presents - Round 2 - Episode 9 - Helter-Skelter

After successfully marching into the second round, My team #Inspirati and I are ready to enthrall you with some amazing fiction. 

Read the first episode of the story Sharanya, here.

Read the previous episode by Vidya Sury, here.

And read Episode 9 here written by me. 

*********Episode 9 ***********

"Everything has fallen apart.... How did I miss it? What the hell was I doing?" He continued to stare from the bedroom window. 

"It happened under my surveillance. How could I just let it happen?" Guilt driven, he continued to murmur in vain. 

"I've lost signals from him as well. I feel disgusted. I need to do something. I have to figure this out before it gets completely out of hand.", determined, he banged his fist against the glass window which almost cracked. His huge fingers left a patch on the glass window as he touched them. 

He was tall, well-built. He was trained to be the best. He had left no stone unturned till today. 

He had a perfect view. Yet, it all happened. He was trained to make no mistakes. His job has only one rule, that he performs every task in an error-free manner. How could he not have foreseen this?

He kept a watch. He had done his duty. How was he going to save everyone on the mayday?

************** 

The ambulance screeched as it came to a sudden halt outside the Fortis hospital. Two male nurses, stepped beside the ambulance and pulled out the stretcher in which lay, Cyrus. He was rushed into the ICU and on Inspector Tawde's orders, no forms were asked to be filled and the operation had begun.

"Vijay, please ask the auto driver to rush", her eyes were drenched with tears as she tried to remain calm. A few kilometers away, the love of her life was hanging between life and death. He was suffering. She felt responsible. Had she not left his side, he wouldn't have come here and he wouldn't have been a part of this entire commotion.

"Relax, Jen. He is going to be fine", Vijay tried assuring to deaf ears.

"Don't call me that, Vijay. Only Cyrus calls me Jen. You know....", she tried pulling back her tears and sucking them inside. "You know I feel like a princess when he calls me Jenn."

She pulled out another tissue and sneezed. Vijay felt bad. He was hurt that in spite of his numerous endeavours to woo her, she still hadn't changed her mind. Jennifer was still madly in love with Cyrus. He felt he had made a mistake. Could things be changed now? He never knew how everyone's life was going to change after that day.

"Jennifer", Before he could inform her that they had reached the hospital, she sprinted out of the autorickshaw.

"Cyrus", she stood at the reception trying to find out the room number where the operation was taking place.

"Full name, Madam", the receptionist coldly inquired.

"Cyrus Daruwala", Jennifer managed to gather courage to speak.

"ICU second floor", as soon as Jennifer heard this, she immediately took the stairs to the second floor.

Like a mad woman, she hysterically searched for the ICU. Vijay followed her meekly. He had never seen her in such a frantic state.

On finding it, unrestrainedly she tried to push the door open. Vijay came to her rescue and made her sit in the chairs outside. "Jennifer, I understand your irony. I understand your pain. But dear, you have to be strong. All you could do is pray for him."

Jennifer'r phone rang at that instant. Before she could pick it up, the ringing stopped. She was about to keep the phone back in her bag when she spotted a notification in her phone.

Wiping the tears that were rolling down incessantly, she stared at what she had just seen in her phone.  "An email from Cyrus?" she whispered to herself. She ensured that Vijay was unaware of it.

She typed a few words and hit the search button in google. She goggled at what she had googled. She was amazed in disbelief. She couldn't believe her eyes. Sometimes situations arise and put you in a stance where it becomes difficult to believe what you see or hear. Jennifer was caught in a maze that made her world go round and upside down.

She had to help Cyrus. She had to bring him out of this. She had to reveal the hidden secrets, But for that to happen, she had to ensure if all the proofs were correct.

It was time, she wiped away her tears and became chivalrous. It was time she lifted the baton that Cyrus had left behind. This was the time to decide. This was the time to prove.

**************

Tara could suddenly feel her weak body and limbs giveaway. She hadn't eaten anything since her darling Roohi had disappeared.

Shekhar was still waiting for his answer. Tara was comprehending on the question. She wished to start it afresh. She blackmailed her God in her prayers that she would work everything out between her and Shekhar if Roohi returned safely. But her heart couldn't forgive the hurt that Shekhar had caused. She was reminded of all those nights she had slept alone while waiting for him to come and lay down beside her. 

How much had she craved for it all? How much had her heart yearned for some words of love from him? And all of a sudden, he wanted her to forget those miserable years. How could she? 

She was reminded of Roohi. Her smile, her laughter, her gaze, her naughtiness, she missed her daughter. She pictured herself as Roohi in the arms of unidentified people. She wondered if her daughter had eaten anything. In no time, she felt her cheek wet with tears. 

The agony of her husband and the pain for her daughter had increased. She couldn't make a decision. 

At that instant, Shekhar receives a call on his phone, "What you missed them, Inspector Tawde? How could you? How could you be so careless? This has gone way out of control. I need to do something." He yelled and banged the phone.

"Shekhar, Where is Roohi? Did the inspector see her? How is my baby? Is she alright?" pulling the collar of his shirt, she pleaded for answers as Shekhar silently gazed at his wife helplessly.

*****************

"Vijay, I need to go. I have some important work. Tawde is not answering my phone. Can you ask him to call me once he is here?" Without waiting for Vijay's reply she sprung to her feet. "Keep me posted"

"I hope I am doing what is correct", Jennifer whispered a silent prayer and set off ignoring Vijay's phonecall.

****************  

"I have to get to him soon", he spoke to his master.

"Who are you talking about, Aryan Ahuja?", She stormed into his room.

To be continued.......

Next episode here:

#CelebrateBlogging #GameOfBlogs #Blogadda

Learn to Remember

"He is suffering from Alzheimer's", I heard the doctor speak to my daughter.
I stood outside, eavesdropping on the conversation. 

I have to learn to remember, he cautiously explained.

Which school would teach me that? I wondered. My thoughts drifted into another world. It was a lonely world where I knew nobody.

"Grandpa", an angel waved at me from a distance. Who is she? Why is she waving at me ? I am clueless. Exasperated, I sit in the steel chair close by.

My thoughts drift back. I find my granddaughter. I realise that now its time to learn to remember.

The world celebrates World Alzheimer's Day today. Visit this link to read the informative post written by Corinne.

The 100 words above are written to convey how every victim who is suffering from Alzheimer's,  feels.

I am a Write Tribe ProBlogger with a commitment to myself to write as frequently as I can.

Five Sentence Fiction - Grief

A five sentence fiction inspired by the prompt
"GRIEF"
Lillie McFerrin Writes


"The mad woman", that's what the passersby called her. 

I saw her standing at the same place every morning on my way to work; shabby and tattered, she stood with a small white basket.

She would dance on the road, obstruct traffic, make some noise so that someone would look at her, have pity on her and drop a penny.

It so happened that on one such day, she stopped me; I dropped a few coins in her basket.

She smiled back and said, "God bless you", but all I could see behind that smile in her face, was "Grief".


I am a Write Tribe ProBlogger with a commitment to myself to write as frequently as I can.

Haiku - "Train"

Back to Haiku after a long time!! This Haiku is inspired by the prompt at Haiku Horizons.

Wheels screech,time to leave

Memories flash, come alive

Like Leaves during fall

Out he runs, Train halts

Candy, juice and toy in hand,

Dad,Tears turn to joy

The first Haiku puts forth a scene where a person is reminded of something and his memories take him back in time as the train leaves. 

The second Haiku is inspired by some events during my childhood. I remember travelling with my parents to Chennai every summer. My dad would run to the door as the train halted at every station. This would make me scared and I would start crying my lungs out wondering if he would return on time. And each time he would return with a candy or toffee in his hand :)

I am a Write Tribe ProBlogger with a commitment to myself to write as frequently as I can starting from the month of September. 

Book Review: "Private India" by Ashwin Sanghi and James Patterson

If you wish to be caught in a gripping fast fiction combined with some sneak-peak into history and mythology alongwith some travel around Mumbai, then this book is for you. I received "Private India" from Blogadda as part of their Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers.

Have a look at what the Blurb has to say: 

In Mumbai, seemingly unconnected people are dying, strangled in a chilling ritual and with strange objects carefully arranged with the corpses. For Santosh Wagh, head of Private India, the Mumbai Branch of the world’s finest investigation agency, it is a race against time to stop the killer striking again. In a city of over thirteen million, he’d have his work cut out at the best of times, but this case has him battling Mumbai’s biggest gang lord and a godman who isn’t all he seems. And then he discovers there may be an even greater danger facing Private India. Hidden in the shadows is someone who could destroy the whole organization along with thousands of innocent Mumbai citizens.

Something about it:

This was the first time I was reading a book written by Ashwin Sanghi and James Patterson. Both these authors were new to me. Ashwin is a stalwart when it comes  to mythology and he is highly spoken off in this regard. The thrill that keeps you hooked to the book till the very last page can surely be credited to the famous James Patterson. 

The story begins with a series of women getting killed in a similar way, strangulation with a yellow garrote. The killer is quick and even before the investigation to the previous murder is complete, the next one takes place. The plot takes support of various factors to keep the reader glued and to keep the story going like the Mumbai train blasts, the underworld in Mumbai, Beggars association, the Mumbai Police, Riots in Mumbai, Navratri in Mumbai and the various tourist attractions in Mumbai.

The path in which every single factor is amalgamated and weaved into a thriller is definitely worth a read.

Where it works:

1. The plot is intensive and will definitely keep you hooked. For me, the initial few pages went off slowly but the story gets headstarted after you have completed one fourth of it. 

2. Combination of Ashwin's knowledge in mythology and James Patterson's experience in thriller writing cannot be disdained. 

3. The pace and thrill is maintained till the end of the book. At times I felt scared while reading the book as I live in the same city. 

4. The end of the book is unique. You wouldn't have dreamed that he/she could be the killer. The authors have nailed it in this.

5. Every Character has an important role to play and you wouldn't find even a single character who has just been used for the sake of it.

Where is does not work:

1. Grammatical errors are definitely not acceptable and prove to be a turn-off.

2. Some of the dialogues and sequences remind you of some Bollywood Thrillers. The sequence of fight between Rupesh and Santosh seems very familiar to a Bollywood movie.

3. The end could have been cut-short instead of extending the story to the sequence of bomb blasts.

My Verdict: 3.75/5 

The book is definitely worth a read for people who enjoy thriller and mythology

I am a Write Tribe ProBlogger with a commitment to myself to write as frequently as I can starting from the month of September. 

Meant to be Soulmates - A note for my best Friend!!

It was a week after Higher secondary school had begun.I had seen her for the very first time in the stairs of our school right next to the wall where hung the photo of Christ. She was accompanied by another friend of mine. 

"Hey Nitha", I told her and realised who she was. We had studied in the same school 5 years back and I had moved to another city after that as my dad was transferred from Pune. 5 years later I was back to Pune(The city I loved and will always love) and joined a junior college where I met her again. Her face had seemed familiar. I remembered her name too, but there was no other memory of her.

We formed a group of girls who had come from the same school(Of course my 5 year back school) and started sitting together or lunch breaks. Nitha, I and my other friend Steffi (who had introduced me to Nitha) would travel on the same route back home. Slowly, Nitha and I became close friends. She was the free radio for all of us. She had a situational song for every instance. 

We even joined the same tuition classes in our 12th std. She was the first person who trusted and agreed to sit behind me in my two-wheeler when I just had a learning license. I never realised if she was so courageous or it was the trust that she had on me. She was also the first person to share the fall  with me on my two-wheeler. 

Junior college passed by and with both of us not having scored really high marks, landed up getting an admission in an just above average college for our graduation. Initially I had joined another college, but later shifted to the same college as her. I remember my mom asking me, "Did you join this college for Nitha?"

College was fun when we formed another group of ours with two more similar minded, fun-loving and amazing girls, Jocy and Simi. Every secret, every crush, every mischief, every first-first was shared with her. I remember bunking college and landing up in victory theatre to watch the infamous "VIruddh" movie and guess what there were just four of us in the theatre including Nitha and me. :P

College was done and I moved again to another city but never once did I feel away from her. 

Every holiday that I came home, Nitu would put everything aside for me. I was her special soulmate, and she was mine. The only time I saw her cry was when I left Pune for my higher studies. She didn't want me to go. She almost ran as the train began to move. 

She was the person who helped me through the teenage years and is my strongest support system. It's been more than a decade since I first met her at the stairs in my Jr. College. Back then I never knew that after so many years I would be writing something about her and something for her. 

Be it from watching the most boring movie in a theatre to dialing a number to cry my heart out at 12 in the night, it was always her. There was not once when she wasn't there for me. And I know there never will be too. 

She had once asked me, "Chinds, why don't you write something about me on your blog? You write so many things.". As this is her birthday month, I thought why not write something about her and for her. 

They say if a friendship lasts for more than 7 years then it's meant to be for a lifetime. It's so true, the bond I share with her is meant for a lifetime.   

You know me through and through,

You've been there and help me through. 

You understand my silence,

Wait for me to answer with patience. 

An angel in disguise,

You are what I won as a prize. 

Nothing can replace you,

Not even another you. 

#Inspirati presents- Mystery looms large (Episode 3)

To read the previous Episode. please click here.(Longing Hearts)

**************Episode #3*************

In the cramped streets of the suburbs of Santacruz, live thousands of people in houses that almost overlap each other. There is no definition of storey here. The houses can be of different shapes and sizes and if you by chance land up in that area of the very first time, you surely will need a GPS to get out of it. 

Although hundreds of people lived comfortably in this area, very few of them dared to walk into the 6th lane. It was called the abandoned lane. Unlike the other lanes in this area, the 6th lane wasn't crowded. The movement of people was restricted. There was only one commercial shop and that was of a barber at the beginning of the lane. No one dared to cross his shop and walk ahead without prior permission. At approximately the last house in the lane sat 2 people in their vileness desire, laying out a nefarious plan. There were three more people in the room, all well-built with broad shoulders holding guns of the Lee-Enfield make. Their eyes told stories of the number of crimes they had witnessed and been a part of. 

The 2 evil minds who were working on the ploy seemed to be completely engrossed in their work as the light-bulb above their heads flickered. 

"When will you be able to bring the samaan?" one of them spoke with a hoarse voice which could break the bulb into pieces if raised. 

"I am trying master", the other one spoke in a feeble voice. She was scared. Drops of sweat fell from her forehead and reached her lips. The salty taste lingered in her tongue. Holding the corner of her cheap cotton saree, she wiped the little sweat that remained near her temple. 

"Jaldi karo", the man asked her to be quick in her work.

"Saheb, Did you finalize on my payment?", she spoke as though it required a bucket full of courage to speak those words. 

The man immediately placed a phone call and spoke something in Urdu, which the woman failed to understand. 

"Finish the work first. My boss has a big heart. He will give you what you deserve.But that depends on how well you do the job and bring me my samaan. You know where you have to bring it, right? ", He emptied the last few drops of the local liquor into a glass as he spoke. She nodded in response.

"Leave now", He screamed and everyone in the room stood still. The woman could feel her blood race from her toe to her head. She got up immediately to leave. Her thoughts were submerged in the loud laughter of the man that echoed within the walls of the room.

*********************

Cyrus Daruwala, a final year law student, tried hard to flip the omlet on the frying pan. Even, after she teaching him a number of times, his omlet would always be broken into pieces by the time he removed it from the pan. 

Living alone in a single bedroom apartment in Delhi meant that Cyrus had to do all his chores on his own. Adjusting the big spectacles that almost covered half of his face, he stirred the soup on the stove and amidst its flames his thoughts ran back to the early morning phone call that he had received from the person he loved. Or supposedly he thought he loved, owing to the recent fights that had crept in between them. 

"Cyrus, since how long am I trying to reach you. Can't you just answer your goddamn phone?" Her voice that had been sweet in the initial days of their courtship had turned out to be sour in the last few months. 

"Jennifer", Cyrus who managed to whisper her name in his sleep continued speaking, "Jennifer, I slept late last night, owing to my project related work. Can you once try and understand that I don't roam around clicking photographs, but I have a serious job to do?" He replied fuming in anger

"Roam around? Serious work? You think earning money is easy for me?" Jennifer retorted before Cyrus could speak anything furthur.

"There is no use talking to you. I called up to inform you that I will be out with Vijay for an entire day shoot. Do not disturb me till then", With that Jennifer slammed the phone and all that Cyrus could hear was the beep sound.

The heat that passed from the stirring spoon to his hand brought him back to the present. 

As Jennifer packed her bag for the day, she slid into her beige colored shorts and a blue colored tee. The accessories in her hand jingled as she picked up her camera and walked toward the Endeavour that was parked outside her house in the plush green city of Kochi. Vijay, her colleague and confidant, helped her with placing the luggage in the vehicle. 

Vijay drove the vehicle and took a reverse as they rushed into the calm streets of the serenely beautiful city. Jennifer's face clearly showed that nothing was right. Vijay who cared for her, knew that if not for him, Jennifer would have been happy with Cyrus. But, Vijay couldn't let her go. He had fallen in love with her ever since he had stepped in to work with her for on all her assignments. He knew he only needed some time more and he would pull Jennifer completely away from Cyrus. 

Jennifer's gaze fell on the chinese fishing nets as they crossed the backwaters in Kochi. She reminisced the first time she had met Cyrus and her thoughts took a steep turn rewinding to what had happened two years back. 

Jennifer had walked out of the Port Blair Airport and waited for a cab to reach the hotel where she would be staying to complete her photography assignment. 

"May I help you Madam", she turned to see a tall, fair-skinned man with curly hair dressed in a mundu standing in front of her. He looked dashing. 

Cyrus was completing the dare given to him by his bunch of friends as they stood waiting to catch their flight back to Delhi. He was given the dare to dress up like a Malayalee and escort a woman to the taxi. As he was wandering around trying to find out the right woman, his eyes fell on a girl who was dressed in casual clothes with a camera in her hand. She looked attractive in her dusky complexion and there was something in her, her aura or her attitude that drew his attention. He couldn't take his eyes off her and using the bet as a bait approached her.

Jennifer allowed him to carry her bags. She had never met him before, yet she felt a strong trust factor that let her fall prey to his plan. Cyrus caught the first cab approaching and the two of them sped through the city of Port Blair in search of the hotel where Jennifer's room was booked. 

Cyrus kept cutting the numerous phone calls he had received from his friends as they waited for him relentlessly at the airport. Cyrus had no clue of what he was doing. He didn't want to let her go. He felt a deep connection that had sprung between them ever since he had seen her. She was smart, attractive and independent. 

"Thank you so much! Er..... I didn't get your name" She collected her luggage from the rear of the cab as she spoke to Cyrus. 

"Pappachan, Madam", Cyrus lied to her. "You want Guide Madam? I can take you around", he instantly asked her as she made her way inside the hotel. 

"Hmmm. I really don't mind as I will need someone to help me with my assignment", Cyrus agreed instantly as he had just completed a tour of the entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands with his friends. 

The next few days passed by as Cyrus toured around with Jennifer right through the beautiful islands of Ross, Jolly Buoy to the various beaches of Wandoor, Kala Pathar and Laxmanpur. Cyrus managed to save himself from any doubt that lingered in Jennifer's mind owing to the mismatch in his looks and his roots. Thanks to his mother who was a malayalee ,  Cyrus could speak Malayalam flawlessly in spite of him being Cyrus Daruwala, a Parsi. His parents had divorced a few years ago due to the differences of culture between them.

Cyrus and Jennifer had spent the whole of 15 days in each others company. Cyrus had forgotten that he had to get back to Delhi and complete his semester. Before he could confess his love to Jennifer, he felt it would be right if she knew who he actually was. 

On the last night before Jennifer could fall asleep, Cyrus stole some moments from her and took her to the balcony of her hotel room. Under the moonlight and with a few glasses of wine gulped down, he spoke his heart out to Jennifer. Jennifer had turned furious and sent him out of the room. She had felt cheated.

Cyrus tried his best to convince her, but she wouldn't budge. Jennifer returned to Kochi and Cyrus flew back to Delhi. After a few phone calls and a few emails, Jennifer finally realised her love for Cyrus and flew to Delhi to tell him that she was madly in love with him. 

They were truly deeply in love. Cyrus meant the world for Jennifer. She found reasons to travel to Delhi for assignments as Cyrus was studying and he did not have enough money to frequently travel and visit her. The cupid had struck and there was no way they thought of turning back. 

Things had however taken a sharp turn when Vijay entered Jennifer's life. Cyrus had become extremely possessive about her and started to take control over her life which affected their relationship and also nudged the free-spirited Jennifer. 

As Jennifer crossed the Mattanchery post in Fort Kochin, she felt a drop of tear roll down from her left cheek. She found herself hissing and trying hard to hold back her tears as she missed Cyrus. She missed the love they shared. Her heart ached. She longed to set things right between them. There was a deep hole that had been pierced in her heart due to his behaviour. 

Cyrus, on the other hand had made a decision and he packed his bags. 

 To be continued.....

Read the next part of the story here


“Me and my team are participating in ‘Game Of Blogs’ at BlogAdda.com. #CelebrateBlogging with us.”

Book Review: The one you cannot have by Preeti Shenoy

“There will always be the one you cannot have”, This statement has been very well captured and articulated in the latest novel by Preeti Shenoy called, “The one you cannot have”(TOUCH).

Have a look at what the blurb of the book has to say:         


                               

How long does it take to heal a broken heart? Can you ever forget that one perfect relationship you had?Anjali knows who she wants, she wants Aman. Aman too knows who he wants, he wants Shruti. Shruti and Aman were once inseparable. Theirs was a love that would last forever and more. Then, out of the blue, Shruti left Aman. A devastated Aman moved abroad in the hope of forgetting Shruti and to heal. Shruti married Rishabh. Now Aman is back in India and looking for a fresh start. But he is still haunted by memories of his love. Can he ever break free from it? His head tells him to move on, to find love with Anjali, but his heart wont listen. No matter what he does, Shrutis shadow looms large. Can there be a happily-ever-after for any of them? A straight-from-the-heart modern-day romance of unrequited love, of complicated relationships and about moving on when you realise that there will always be the one you cannot have.

Summary:

Welcome to the world of Aman, Anjali, Shruti and Rishab !! Four individuals in their late twenties. That's what I assumed while I read through. All of them were people you would meet in your day to day life, perfect girl-next door and boy-next door traits. I wouldn't ponder around telling you the details of the story as it is for you to find out by reading the book. The story starts from Norwich were our main protagonist Aman is packing his bags to come back to India after two long years during which he is not able to forget his past and not willing to look forward to his future. There is only one silver lining in the cloud for him and that is Anjali a soft, intelligent, attractive and talented writer-journalist. Shruti on the other hand is  married and happily living with her husband, Rishab in Mumbai. Everything breaks loose when an certain incident changes their life and their marriage is almost on the verge of a divorce. 

Does Aman accept Anjali's love and does Shruti save her marriage from breaking is what you have to find out?

The Pros:

- Preeti Shenoy hits the note where she has written the book from the perspective of three different people Aman, Shruti and Anjali. Trying to keep the plot in mind and writing from the view of three different people with different ideologies is extremely difficult. She maintains the balance extremely well and this was something very new to me. 

- Her style of writing the entire story in the present tense(Which she has followed in the other books too) steals the show and keeps you hooked. There wasn't even a single point where I had got bored and felt like keeping the book down. 

- The script is extremely captivating as the storyline is something that each of us would have undergone in our life. We can relate to every character and that's what's important. he story touches the heart. It's simple, beautiful and subtle. It's something that will melt you, especially the scenes where Aman's state of mind(while he struggles with his past) and Shruti's emotions are to be displayed, the author leaves no stone unturned. 

- Complete justice is done to the title of the story and there is not place where she goes off the hook. 

- I loved the character of Anjali. Her attitude and her maturity was something I would love to gain. There was nothing unreal about Shruti's character too. 

The Cons:

-The ending was something that could have been scripted in a better manner. I felt it ended abruptly. 

-  More emphasis was laid in writing about the past of Aman and Shruti which could have been cut down. But again, it did add spice to the script. 

Lessons Learnt:

I would say what I learnt was the power of AcceptanceI would say what I learnt was the power of Acceptance is well-portrayed. The story teaches you to accept the present and live life to the fullest. There is no way grieving over the past and spoiling your future that could be so beautiful. Relationships are not sugar coated and everyone has to work hard and give in his hundred percent to make it work. 

Verdict:

I would rate the book 4.5/5 and it is worth a read. I enjoyed reading it. I actually didn't want to to keep the book down even when I was travelling to office while my husband was driving(Which did drive him mad :P) 

Handing him over!!

We sat near the garden area of the café which was decorated with multicolored pots. 

 I decided to think from his perspective which was difficult.

“I killed them! All three in a row! Husband, wife and child!” His answer was cold.

Without wasting time, I signaled to the men in khaki.

                                                                         ---------------------------------------------

Linking this to the Fiction Challenge ,'From 15 to 50‘ , hosted by The Moving Quill

PROMPT FOR THIS MONTH

Word prompt: Perspective

Phrase Prompt: ‘Three in a row’

Picture Prompt: